Pokemon Prodigies
by Homomatic
Summary: The Prodigy Program: Every year, three talented trainers are chosen to go on a Journey to catch and catalog every Pokemon in Kalos. Amber, Braedon, and Argent are this year's prodigies. But dangerous Pokemon aren't the only thing The Prodigies have to worry about. They have to fight off the mysterious Hallowed Church, whose plans threaten Pokemon everywhere.
1. Chapter 1: Amber, Braedon, and Argent

Sandalwood Town, or the Town of New Blooms, was the smallest town in Kalos. Connected to only Vaniville Town, this small community boasts a population of less than a hundred- all spread out a sizable amount away from each other, because what the town lacks in population it makes up for in area. Each and every person seemed to know each other, and had grown up together. The people you graduated high school with were the same people you entered kindergarten with.

Naturally, news traveled fast within the community. Before half the workers at Sandalwood ranch knew that the ranch was in financial trouble, the whole town knew.

Heck, the town knew before Amber Dupont did. And her aunt and uncle owned the place.

Adopted at a young age, Amber saw the Ranch as her home. When she learned of her family's financial troubles, she was devastated. So naturally, she hatched a plan. A reckless, rash, half cooked plan with only a small chance of success.

She was going to catch every Pokemon in Kalos.

* * *

"You what?" Jeremy asked, spitting out his grits (it was breakfast for dinner in the Dupont household, the height of their spontaneity) . He looked at his cousin like she had just morphed into a Psyduck.

"I got accepted into the Prodigy Program." she muttered into the desk. Amber had always been the quiet type- she preferred to sit back and let others talk, namely her best friend Braedon.

"Congratulations!" Aunt Lynn squealed. Though surprised, congratulating her niece came before the inevitable questions.

"Why didn't you tell us you were applying?" Uncle Jim asked gruffly.

"I, uh, didn't think I'd get it."

Uncle Jim snorted. "As if. You're probably the most talented girl at that school."

The school he was referring to was Cyperus Preparatory School for Gifted Trainers, the boarding school Amber and Braedon went to, with a scholarship she worked her ass off to get. Before summer break started, letters were sent out advertising The Prodigy Program, a research project being held by Professor Sycamore. Though calling it a "project" was like calling Arceus a Pokemon. It was so much more than that. The challenge was to catch one of each Pokemon native to Kalos. And by native, they mean all Pokemon that supposedly originated in Kalos and migrated to other regions later. That was over a hundred.

Needless to say, that was a massive undertaking. But no one said a chance at pretty much any scholarship you want was easy.

And if it could save the Ranch...

"I told you you should have entered." Jeremy exclaimed. The blond smiled widely, clearly over his shock. "And you did! But why? I mean, you were against it before."

"Braedon made me." She muttered. That was close enough to the truth. He had come up with the idea...

"Him." Uncle Jim rolled his eyes. "I suppose city boy had tried out too?"

Amber frowned at her chicken and waffles. She knew that was coming. "Yeah."

"And did he get it?"

"Yeah, he did."

Uncle Jim scratched his chin. "Well. I'm suddenly less enthusiastic about you going."

Amber bit her lip but said nothing.

"I mean, you've been getting awful close to this Braedon kid. "

"Not that close." Amber said quietly. She knew what he was implying. "He doesn't like girls anyway. And I don't like him."

"So he says." Aunt Lynn retorted. "That boy's shiftier than a Meowth. He could be lying."

Anber clenched the table. Shy or not, she had to stick up for her best friend. "Braedon doesn't lie to me."

"No, he's not a liar. Just a thief." Jeremy said with eyes more narrow than his opinions.

Amber felt like crying. "I can't believe you guys." she stood up. "I'm doing this for you, and all you want to do is be mean to my friend!"

As soon as the words slipped out, Amber regretted them.

"For us?" Uncle Jim asked.

Amber turned around. "N-nothing. It's nothing."

But uncle Jim was having none of it. "Amber, explain. Now."

Amber faced her uncle. Their was no going back now. "The Program comes with a salary per week... And the Ranch needs the money..."

"Amber, no," Aunt Lynn said. "We're not taking money that's rightfully yours. You need that for college-"

"But don't you get it?" Amber cried. She had no idea where this courage was coming from. "If I do this, I'm guaranteed a full ride to any college I want! And we can keep the Ranch! This is a golden opportunity, and you guys are willing to throw it away because you hate my best friend?" A tear fell down her cheek.

"Amber..." Uncle Jim said soothingly.

But Amber was already out the door.

* * *

Amber's favorite tree was at the center of the field.

A tall, willowy oak, her tree was a work of art. On sunny days you could sit under it and catch beams of light, created by the spaces between the leaves, in your palm. On starry nights Amber would climb the tree and gaze at the stars.

Years ago, aunt Lynn had offered to build her a tree house. Amber denied the request- her tree was perfect the way it was.

Amber leaned against the trunk and closed her eyes for a few seconds. Finally, she couldn't take the silence anymore.

Amber released Tyrunt from his Pokeball.

Similar to our T-Rex, Tyrunt was a Dragon/Rock Type with craggy brown skin like leather and teeth that could rip through steel bars.

Tyrunt was a rarity not only around these parts, but anywhere. As an extinct species, it was hard to come by, as it could only be caught when cloned from a fossil. A rich woman once brought her Tyrantrum to the ranch, and it had such a good time she donated an egg to the Ranch. An egg worth thousands of Poke. Not that Amber would sell it for anything. She loved her Tyrunt too much.

"Runt?" Tyrunt asked. Amber just sniffled, so Tyrunt caught on and snuggled close to Amber.

"I hate them sometimes." Amber muttered. "Braedon is probably the only one at school who likes me for longer than it takes to do their homework, and they act like he's somehow below us."

Tyrunt grunted in agreement.

Amber snuggled closer to him. "And now they're not letting me go on the Journey. How fair is that?"

"Who says you can't go on a journey?"

Amber looked up. "Hi auntie."

"Can I sit?" Aunt Lynn asked. Amber just nodded slowly.

Aunt Lynn sat down next to her, on the opposite side of Tyrunt. "Amber." she said. "We don't hate your friend."

"Best friend." Amber corrected stubbornly. "And it doesn't matter. You still don't want me to go."

Aunt Lynn pursed her lips. "We do. We just don't want you hurt."

"Braedon won't hurt me." Amber said resolutely. That was true- if anything, Braedon protected her. He was the one who found time between his classes and formidable stacks of homework to steal from the snobby rich kids that made fun of Amber for her upbringing and the fact she was their on a scholarship. "And Professor Sycamore wouldn't of chose him if he wasn't a good student."

Aunt Lynn nodded. "I know that. Which is why your uncle and I are agreeing to let you go."

Amber's eyes widened. "Seriously?" she exclaimed. Tyrunt jumped in the air, over Amber, and licked and Lynn.

"Get off! Gaw! Pokemon slobber!" Aunt Lynn pushed Tyrunt off. The Pokemon grinned and rolled over.

"Did you just roll over?" Amber asked him, overjoyed. "What are you, a Poochyena?"

"Tyrunt!" Tyrunt cried happily.

Amber couldn't agree more.

* * *

Braedon sighed as he waited for his dad's assistant, Mitzuki, to connect him to his father.

 _Don't be busy._ Braedon prayed. _C'mon, pick up the damn phone._

"Braedon?" Michael Lovette said over the phone. "Why are you calling? What trouble are you in now?"

"None, sir." Braedon said quickly. "I'm fine. I just wanted to tell you that I got accepted into The Prodigy Program-"

"So? Was their ever any doubt?" Michael praised him. But he sounded more angry than prideful. "Listen, son. I don't have time for this. Can we talk later? I have to go."

Braedon nodded, then realized that he couldn't see that. "Yes sir."

"Then goodbye Braedon. Congratulations." And without a further word, he hung up.

Braedon felt like crying. Here he was, getting the chance of a lifetime, and his dad didn't even care. It was so infuriating.

The whole reason Braedon had signed up was to get his attention. That's why Braedon did everything- that's why he stole things, why he got good grades, why he did his best and worst at school. Because he wanted his dad to take the time to acknowledge him fir once. But lately, he was getting acknowledged even less.

Fuck him. Braedon thought. I don't need him.

But he did. That was, for better or for worse, his only father.

Bradon started to cry.

* * *

Argent was done with this battle.

"Shadow Ball." Argent said boredly.

Honedge, a Steel/Ghost type Pokemon that resembles a sword with a long blue tassel, created a swirling ball of violet energy and shot it at his opponent.

"Dodge." the computerized voice intoned. The Murkrow moved like a Bullet Seed, dodging the attack effortlessly.

"Metal Sound, then Shadow Ball." Argent commanded. Honedge began to shake like a tuning fork, emitting a sound that pierced Murkrow's ears, lowering it's Special Defense. Honedge then shot another ball of shadowy energy at Murkrow, who was still disoriented from the previous attack. The Shadow Ball hit him square in the chest, knocking him across the field.

The second Murkrow fainted, it disappeared. So did the field, and Argent was left standing in a plain white room with nothing but a door.

The Virtualization room was Argent's father's design, one of his many innovations. Everything in the room, with the exception of Argent and Honedge, was an illusion created by the most cutting edge technology.

Only the best for his son, Father had always said.

"Argent?" a shy voice said.

"Come in Lucille." Argent instructed her. The girl, a mousy brunette, entered the room, leaving the door open behind her.

"I've got the files you asked for, sir." Lucille said. After working for his father for so long, she was used to calling the seventeen year old "sir". "Here they are."

She handed him his Holocaster, a device that projected holograms and worked similar to a phone.

Argent pressed the button at the bottom of the device. Two images appeared, one of a tan blonde girl with golden rimmed glasses and the other of a boy with unruly indigo hair and bright blue eyes.

"Amber Dupont, age sixteen." the machine intoned. Unlike the Virtualization room's voice, this voice was a pleasant female voice. "Trainer Level Three. Braedon Lovette, Trainer Level Three." The device then began to tell him about them- their lives, their Pokemon, their grades. Everything important.

"So..." Argent mused. "These are the other applicants."

"What do you think of them, ?" Lucille asked.

"They're adequate." Argent said. "So long as they pull their wait and don't get in my way, we'll be fine."

Argent instructed Lucille to set up the Virtualization field again. He had training to do.

* * *

 **A/N: So this story has the same villains as my other story, Pokemon Alliance. The two will intersect and feature parts of the other. So go read that if you haven't already.**

 **Also, Amber is based loosely off of Yellow from Pokespe. If you haven't read the Pokemon Special Manga, do it. It's worth your time.**

 **So how do you like Amber, Argent, and Braedon so far? Tell me in your reviews/comments.**

Shout Out to Amethyst on quotev for being the best beta ever!


	2. Chapter 2: The Start of an Adventure

**Three Months Later**

Taurus wrangling was by far Amber's favorite chore.

"Stone Edge!" Amber yelled, throwing Tyrunt's Pokeball from the back of her Taurus.

Tyrunt landed yards in front of the the herd and opened its jaw. Jagged grey stones erupted from the ground, forcing the lead Taurus to swerve, bringing the herd with him. But the stones kept appearing in front of the Taurus until their was a circle surrounding them, closing them in.

"Ee-yah!" She yelled just for fun. She had been working on that move for a month, and they had finally accomplished it!

"Nice moves, shorty!"

Amber looked down. Running toward her, out of breath, was Braedon.

"Brae!" Amber slid down from her Taurus and ran to meet him.

They hugged. "What're you doing here?" Amber asked.

"What was that all about?" Braedon breathlessly asked at the same time.

"You first." Amber said.

Braedon grinned wildly. "I wanted to surprise you. So my dad let me get take a plane to Vaniville instead of Lumoise, then I walked here. This is our journey. We should start it together."

Amber couldn't help but look down. That was one of the sweetest things she had ever heard.

"Now, are you gonna tell me what you're doing?"

Amber's eyes widened. "Oh no!" she cried. "I forgot about Taurus! Help me!"

Amber fished some Pokeballs out of her backpack and handed them to Braedon. They ran to the Taurus and returned them all.

"Normally we let them run free." Amber explained to Braedon once they finished. "But today is their monthly check up. So I had to round them up and return them so they can see the vet today."

"Nice. So, any other chores I can help with?"

Amber led him through her daily routine. She laughed when they went to change the bird feeders and he fell off of the ladder when a Fletchinder pecked him. He returned the favor when she got spit on by a Numel that didn't want to eat it's breakfast.

All in all, it was a good morning.

Amber led Braedon inside, realizing as she did that her best friend was going to meet her parents and brother. _Crap_.

Amber pulled him aside when they reached the door. "Okay. I need to tell you something. My parents... They don't exactly... I'm not sure how to say this. They don't really, um-"

"Like me?" Braedon asked. She nodded. "Well, that's hardly fair. They've met me twice."

The first time was on family visit day at their school, in which Braedon stole her uncle's wallet and filled it with pictures of himself before returning it. The second time was when both of them had been called into the office because Braedon filled Nicole Richardson's locker Jelly after she pulled Amber's shorts down in gym. Needless to say, they didn't exactly view Braedon as a good influence on their niece.

"It doesn't matter." Amber said frantically. "The point is that they hate you! If you do anything- anything at all- they might not let me go."

Braedon rolled his eyes. "Amber, you leave _today._ They can't possibly-"

"Let's not chance it." Amber interrupted. "Promise me you'll be good."

He did a salut. "Scout's honor."

"You were a Boy scout?" Amber asked.

"Yeah. I got kicked out for stealing my scout leader's clothes one day. ."

"I thought you liked guys." Amber said.

"But I have standards, Am." Braedon replied. He shuddered. "I regret it now. He looked terrible naked."

Amber laughed, unsure of whether or not he was telling the truth, and opened the door.

Inside, Aunt Lynn was cooking lunch. "Amber! You're back! How did the Taurus wrangling go?" She stepped into the living room.

"Alright." Amber answered. "Braedon helped me a little."

"Braedon?" She asked. Braedon stepped inside. "Oh! You have a guest. What a pleasant surprise!" She walked back into the kitchen.

Braedon smiled at Amber and mouthed "Taurus Shit." Amber covered her mouth to hide her giggles.

Amber led Braedon on a tour of the house, showing him her room ("Seriously? That's a lot of pictures. Do you even have a wall?"), her parents room ("Look! It's where you were made!"), Jeremy's room ("Wow. This place smells worse than the rest of the house. How is that possible?"), and the rest of the house. By the time they were done, it was lunch time.

Aunt Lynn laid sandwiches down on a plate for the two, smiling extra wide as she put down Braedon's.

Right as she set down Amber's plate, Uncle Jim walked in. "Sweetie, is Dinner ready yet?"

He walked into the kitchen and did a double take when he saw Braedon.

"Look who decided to join us!" Aunt Lynn said in an overly cheery voice. "Amber's friend Braedon."

Braedon grinned at him. "I'm glad I did. These sandwiches are spectacular."

Amber kicked him, but he didn't react.

Uncle Jim sat down next to Amber. "I bet they are. My wife puts her heart and soul into making them."

"Dad, they're sandwiches, not famous artwork." Jeremy said as he sauntered in then sat down, pointedly ignoring Braedon. Aunt Lynn must have got to him while he was doing his chores and told him to be civil.

Braedon gave Jeremy his most serious look, then leaned in close. "Food is art." He whispered.

Jeremy jumped about a foot in the air.

Amber mentally face palmed. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

The route to Vaniville Town was devoid of Pokemon, (not counting domesticated 'Mons) which made Amber nervous. She wasn't used to not being surrounded by Pokemon or People. But now she was alone, except for Braedon, Tyrunt , and Braedon's partner Sableye.

Her parents had cried when she got out of the car and insisted on hugging her over and over again. Even Jeremy hugged her once.

And now here they were. Walking to Vaniville, where they would meet Argent and Professor Sycamore.

"So," Braedon said after a few seconds of silence. Amber knew that he hated silence. "Wanna battle?"

Amber raised an eyebrow. "In the middle of Route 23?"

Braedon nodded, then grabbed her arm and pulled her off the path to a clearing. "C'mon! Please?"

Amber couldn't say no to that face.

So here they were, Sableye vs. Tyrunt, in a fierce battle of wits.

"Ha! Can't hit me, can you?" Braedon spit out his tongue as Sableye used Shadow Sneak to turn into a shadow just as Tyrunt used Stomp to crush Sableye. The Sableye appeared behind him, but Tyrunt turned around and stomped again. The two began to repeat the same moves- Sableye turning into a shadow before Tyrunt could stomp him, Tyrunt Stomping before Sableye could rise and attack.

Amber groaned. "I'm done with this!" She declared. "Circle Stone Edge, Tyrunt!"

A circle of giant stones appeared around Tyrunt, launching Sableye into the air. "Sable!" Sableye cried as he fell.

"Now, Ancient Power!" Amber cried. The stones broke into pieces and began to shoot towards Sableye.

"Shadow Sneak, then Scratch!" Braedon yelled. Sableye turned into a shadow right before the rocks hit, then slivered towards Tyrunt."

"Dodge, then bite!" Amber yelled. Tyrunt jumped to the side as Sableye jumped into the air and turned back into his solid form, narrowly missing Sableye's claws. Tyrunt then turned and bit Sableye on the arm.

"Sableye!" Braedon cried. "Night Shade!"

The gems Sableye used for eyes turned black. Out of his free hand he shot a beam of black light at Tyrunt, hitting him square in the eyes. Tyrunt let go and stumbled back.

"Now, Zen Headbutt!" Braedon yelled. Sableye whole body became shrouded in a pink aura as he rammed into Tyrunt.

"Ty!" Tyrunt screamed as he flew backwards. He didn't get up.

"Yeah!" Braedon yelled. He grabbed Sableye and squeezed him tightly. "

Amber returned Tyrunt. "Nice job. "

Braedon put an arm around her. "Don't worry too much about it. You'll beat me next time."

"I'm not-"

"Sure you're not." Braedon grinned. "Race you to Vaniville." And with that, he took off.

"Wait!" Amber yelled after him. She ran to catch up to the boy. "Cheater!"

* * *

Whatever Argent had been expecting, Amber and braedon weren't it.

It didn't help that when he met them they were tired and sweaty from running the whole way there.

"You...Must be Argent." the boy said, panting. "I'm...Braedon."

"Am...Ber." Amber gasped. She at least seemed to be embarrassed, from the way she was avoiding Argent's eye. "Nice to... Meet you."

Argent didn't want to, but he dutifully shook the delinquents hands. They were outside the Pokemon Center, waiting for Professor Sycamore.

"Where's the Professor?" Braedon asked, finally catching his breath. "Is he late?"

"It would appear so." Argent said boredly. "We will have to wait."

He inspected the duo. The girl was a blonde, her hair in a ponytail, with a yellow blouse and jeans tucked into cowboy boots. The boy wore a sleeveless hoodie over a violet t-shirt, jeans, and high tops.

"That's okay." Braedon said. "We can use the time to get to know each other."

Amber stared at the ground. "Sure, Braedon."

Braedon grinned. "Okay. Well, I'm Braedon, and this is my best friend Amber. I'm a Pisces who specializes in Dark Types."

Argent raised an eyebrow. "I don't see what your birthsign has to do with anything, but I too specialize in a Type. I specialize in Steel Types." Argent really didn't feel like talking to them, but he figured that he had to at least try to be civil. They were going to spend the next year in each others company. "I find them the most dependable of the types."

"Amber uses any type." Braedon said, slinging an arm around her. "She just can't commit to one."

Argent looked at the girl, who was rubbing her arm uncomfortably. "Why doesn't she speak for herself?"

Amber turned bright red. "I-uh- I'm sorry- I just-"

She was saved by the arrival of Professor Sycamore, who decided then to show up.

Argent nearly gasped. The man was, in a word, stunning. Argent had seen pictures before, but they didn't do him justice.

"You must be my new victims- I mean proteges." He said, chuckling at his own joke.

All three of them bowed.

"Such polite children!" Sycamore exclaimed. "You don't see that everyday. Now, down to business. I trust you've all read the letters I sent you?"

They all nodded. "Nice, nice. Let's go sit down in the Center, and I'll go over what I want from you."

Professor Sycamore led them inside, pausing only to wink nurse Joy, who rolled her eyes but smiled anyway.

Sycamore led them to a booth in the center and sat down. "Okay. So you all know what you have to do. Catch and catalog every Pokemon originally native to Kalos. That's approximately 112 Pokemon. Each of you were selected because you have talents beyond that of a normal trainer."

Argent looked at Amber and Braedon. _Talent beyond that of a normal trainer?" These two?_

"So, to aid you in your goal, I'm entrusting you with these."

He put his brief case on the table and opened it. Inside were three rectangular devices, each with a a Pokeball design in the center.

"Thank you," Argent said. "But I have a Pokedex."

"You don't have this one." Sycamore said. "These are the latest models. Or prototypes of them, rather. Given to me by Cassius himself, these allow for trading over long distances, communication via the Holocaster network, twenty-four seven internet access, and of course the regular features of a Pokedex. They also allow you to send Pokemon straight to locations when caught, so you don't have to go to the Pokemon Center to send me your Pokemon. "

Braedon whistled. "And their ours?"

He nodded. "Cassius needs someone to test out his new trading system. Something about it being more comfortable for the Pokemon, I'm not sure. He doesn't like to talk much. I usually go through his assistant, but she wasn't available at the time. In fact..."

"What's wrong, Professor?" Amber asked, speaking up for the first time.

"Nothing..." he said. "It's just that... Cassius' assistant was supposed to be here to help me present these."

"Is that why you were late?" Argent asked. "To look for her?"

Sycamore nodded. "After this, I'm going to call her. Perhaps she got lost... She's always been a bit ditzy. Oh well. No use worrying over it now. Why don't you three try out your new Pokedexes?"

Not entirely reassured, Argent took the Pokedex out of tge case anyway. It certainly _looked_ better than his own model. He pressed the button in the center and a holographic question matk appeared.

 _"_ _No Pokemon available on device. Sixteen Pokemon in the immeadiate vicinity."_

"Cool!" Braedon said. He grabbed one and pulled a Pokeball from his belt. He scanned it.

" _Sableye, The Darkness Pokemon. Sableye hides in the darkness of caves. Its diet of gems has transformed its eyes into gemstones. Level 22. Moves known: Shadow Sneak, Scratch, Zen Headbutt, and Mean Look. Ability:Prankster."_

"Prankster?" Argent muttered. "That's rare for a Sableye."

Braedon nodded. "Yeah. I actually-"

A girl ran into the Pokemon Center, looking exhausted and worse for wear.

"Marina!" Sycamore yelled, standing up. "What happened?"

The girl stumbled over to him. "My Pokemon..."

"Marina, what happened to your Pokemon?" Sycamore asked her. He grabbed her shoulders.

"My Pokemon..." she whispered. "He stole them..."

Marina fainted.

* * *

 **A/N: Two chapters, two days in a row! Better enjoy it now, because I doubt this is gonna be a common thing.**

 **Also, Marina's here! Those of you who've read my other story know her already, and should see the connection. Probably.**

 **And you should review/comment, because I dislike the latter half of this chapter and I need someone to tell me what all is wrong with it, because I can't figure it out.**


	3. Chapter 3: The Hallowed Church

For some reason, the police found it necessary to question Everyone, including Amber.

Amber, the girl who would from now on be remembered in that one civilian who was so nervous that she recited everything she did that day in detail, before the cop started the questioning.

"I doubt that they'll remember you." Braedon said patiently after she told him about what happened and voiced her concern. "They have way more important things to do than gossip about you. Besides, it's over now. Pass me some chips."

Amber held the bag up so Braedon, who was sitting in the bunk above her, could get some. Amber, Braedon, and a reluctant Argent ("I don't understand how people sleep on these bunks. It's like they're made of bricks.") were staying in the dorms provided to them by the Pokemon Center. Technically, the rules stated that they were supposed to be camping out- this was the compromise they reached with Argent, who was vehemently opposed to "sleeping outside like a dirty street rat", as he put it. So here they were.

"I guess you're right." Amber muttered. "I'm still pretty embarrassed..."

"Don't be." Braedon reassured her. "I'm sure you're not the first or last person to be nervous in front of the police."

Amber knew she was being silly. But she couldn't help it- it was just who she was. "Sorry."

Braedon snorted. "Stop apologizing, you're fine. "

"I guess." she said. "Why don't we-"

"Got it!" Braedon yelled, scaring Amber so she fell out of bed. "Oops. Sorry. But I-"

"Will you be quiet?" Argent grumbled from across the room. "I'm trying to sleep."

"Oh, you're up? Good." Braedon said. "Get over here." Breadon jumped down from his bunk and slid next to Amber.

Argent put his head under the covers.

"Fine then, grumpy gus."

"My name is not-what are you doing?" Argent cried as Braedon sat down at the foot of his bed, followed by an apologetic Amber.

"You guys need to hear this." Braedon said. He pulled out his laptop and opened it. He grinned at Amber.

Oh no."What did you do?" Amber asked. She didn't have to say "this time", that was implied by her tone.

"I sent Kecleon to follow Sycamore and Marina." Braedon admitted.

Argent sat up. "You did what!?" he snapped. "Do you want us to be kicked out of the program?"

"Relax." Braedon said calmly. "Kecleon can turn invisible. Camouflage and all that jazz."

"This was still very irresponsible of-"

"Why?" Amber interrupted.

Braedon grinned. "I'm getting to that. Anyway, I attached a small camera-"

"Where'd you get a camera?" Argent asked.

"I had one just in case of an emergency ." Braedon said casually.

"So you had a small camera lying around 'just in case'?"

"Of course." Braedon replied. "Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I sent Kecleon, armed with a small camera, to spy on Sycamore."

"Again, why?" Amber asked, a worried edge in her voice.

"Yes, please tell us why you risked our shot at any scholarship in the country." Argent snapped.

Braedon looked at him. "Ya know, pessimism is a sign of premature aging."

"Braedon..." Amber chided him.

"Fine. I'm sorry." he rolled his eyes. "Now where was I?"

"I believe you were at the part where you explain why you did this."

"Oh yeah!" Braedon cried. "Right. I wanted to know who attacked her. The police refused to tell me."

"Well of course they did." Argent said. "It's none of our concern."

Braedon rolled his eyes. "Arceus, your boring. Anyway, let's listen. I'll back up the feed by about five minutes..."

The screen displayed a door.

"He must be stuck outside the room they're staying in." Braedon muttered. "Oh well. We should still be able to hear. Every be quiet! No breathing!" Braedon unpaused the video.

"...And you're sure he said that he was with Team Hallow? Not the Hallowed Church?" Professor Sycamore said.

"Team Hallow?" Amber mouthed. Braedon shrugged.

"Yes, that's what he said. Why? Who are they, professor?" the girl, Marina, said.

"I'm not sure my dear." he said. "But they've been attacking people all over Kalos. I'm just glad you're not hurt."

"But my Pokemon were stolen!" Marina cried.

"Hmm. Yes, but the man who took them has been spotted near Lumoise. Perhaps someone will catch him, then you'll get them back. It's all we can hope for."

There was a barely audible sniffle. "Y-you're right, Professor. I shouldn't stop hoping. But... I wish I knew why he chose me specifically."

"I don't know." Sycamore said. "But there's no use worrying about it now. You should get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow."

The rest of the video was mostly silent, besides a few exchanges like "Do you know where my suitcase is?" and "Right here, Professor."

Braedon closed the laptop. "Kecleon should be back soon." he said. "But that's beside the point. Do either of you know a Team Hallow?"

Both of them shook their heads.

"Wait." Amber said. She pulled out her new Pokedex, the one Professor Sycamore gave her. "Might as well put this to good use. Professor Sycamore said it works like a Holocaster, so... Pokedex, search for Team Hallow."

A holographic pad showed up above the Pokedex. It displayed text saying that their were zero results for her search.

"Try The Hallowed Church." Argent suggested, sitting up.

Amber complied, then clicked on the first result to show up.

A hologram of a man Amber recognized from the news as Professor Rowan appeared. "The Hallowed Church is a religious group that was thought to be extinct by 17192." he said. "But over the past two years, new adherents have revived the seemingly dead religion."

"Is that all?" Braedon asked.

Amber nodded. "Sorry Brae. Looks like your mystery is gonna stay that way- a mystery."

Argent nodded. "Yes. And now that we've successfully wasted twenty minutes, I suggest we all go to bed. Which means getting off of my bed."

"Whatever." Braedon and Argent got up and walked over to their bunks. Amber and Braedon stayed up to wait for Kecleon, who arrived safely, though late ("Did you stop to steal food?" Braedon said. "Well, he is your Pokemon" Amber replied.). They went to bed, though Amber didn't sleep much. She was still caught up in all that happened that day.

 _I hope that every day of my journey isn't this eventful._ Amber thought. But a traitorous part of her secretly wished for the contrary.

* * *

Amber was the first to wake the next day. After all, she had grown up on a ranch where chores were started before the sun was up and ended right as the sun set.

Amber started the day by calling Aunt Lynn and Uncle Jim. She decribed all that had happened the previous day, wisely omitting the part where Braedon helped them spy on Professor Sycamore.

"You were questioned? By the police?" Uncle Jim covered his mouth. "Amber? Are you alright? Why would they question you?"

"I'm fine." She insisted. "They just wanted to know if I saw anything suspicious on the way here."

Uncle Jim still looked worried. "They didn't scare you, did they?"

"What?" Amber cried. "N-no! I'm fine."

Aunt Lynn chuckled. "Relax, Jim. The girl's a Dupont. We're bred to be strong."

Uncle Jim didn't look completely convinced, but he still managed a small smile. "You're right, of course. I'm sure she's fine."

Amber let told them she had to go, not because she did, but because they were embarrassing her a little.

Braedon laughed as soon as she hung up her Holocaster. "Amber, it's okay," He, of course, saw right through her excuse. "I know you're not some fragile flower. You wrangle Snorlax's."

"It was a Munchlax, and it was one time, Braedon."

Braedon just smiled.

* * *

Monty Erikson was a simple man. He owned a pawn shop in a small town, for Pete's sake. No wife, one kid, one Pokemon (a Purrloin). He lived in a simple one two bedroom apartment, in a side of town that was neither the best or the worst the small town had to offer.

Nothing really exciting happened to him, barring a single incident where a bike pawned was actually stolen from a ten year old. Which was resolved in a few days.

So imagine his surprise when he found his shop vandalized, the glass broken and only a lawn mower missing.

Now imagine how loud his screscream was when he saw said lawnmower, now orange and with eyes and a mouth, trying to eat the wires out of his old t.v.

"Ahh!" he yelled, falling backwards. Still on his back, he began to inch away from the... Thing with his elbows.

"Ro!" the orange Pokemon (for what else could it be?) yelled, baring it's mower like teeth.

Monty fainted.

* * *

 **A/N : Still kinda sad I didn't manage to work a battle into this one. Oh well.**

 **About the part involving which pokemon originate from Kalos, I'm using Pokemon that from other gens, and saying that even though they were created before gen six, they come from Kalos originally and migrated to those regions. For example, Zoroa originates from Black and White, which take place in Unova, but I'm saying it comes from Kalos (which makes more sense anyway, since they can be found in the wild in Kalos but can only be given to you in unova)**

 **Why am I doing this? Because 60+ Pokemon will not be a challenge for our heroes. 112 is a nice, challenging number.**

 **So... I wonder who will stop Joseph? Anybody figure it out?**

 **(SPOILER!) It's revealed in my other story. So read that one if you want to know more about the villains (though everything will be revealed about them in this story too. Just not yet.)**

 **So, how do my story so far? Tell me how much you hate it in the your review!**


	4. Chapter 4: Drivin' Amber Crazy

The scream was just one more thing to add onto the list of reasons why the rest of their morning was eventful.

First, Argent had woken up and found Sableye lying in his suitcase, drooling on all his clothes. After a fight between Braedon and Argent where Braedon explained that Sableye liked small, dark, cramped spaces and Argent shouted that now his favorite jacket was ruined, and they all headed down to breakfast. Braedon then thought it was a good idea to steal Argent's Holocaster and change each of the contacts to random words in Hoennian. This sparked another argument, which would have ended with a Pokemon battle but instead ended with them kicked out for making a ruckus. Then, Amber had to listen to them bicker all the way to Route one, helpless to stop the two.

So the scream was not out of place at all.

"C'mon!" Braedon yelled, leading them toward the sound of the scream.

A girl was on the ground, her clothes askew and her glasses falling off.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" Braedon asked her. "What's wrong?"

The girl covered her face. "I-I don't know!" she cried. "I was just watering my spice garden and- well look!"

The girl's garden was, for lack of a better word, trashed. Plants were ripped to shreds and scattered about, their roots visible for everyone to see.

"It came out of nowhere!" she cried! "A giant orange lawnmower! It ran over my garden and fled!"

"Lawnmower?" Braedon sweat dropped. "A-are you sure?"

She nodded, still sobbing.

Amber looked at them, then pulled out her Pokedex. She began to scroll through it. After a few seconds, she stopped and held it up to Braedon. He grabbed the Pokedex, understanding immediately that she wanted to show the woman but was too timid. Braedon showed it to the woman. It displayed a orange pokemon that resembled a spinning top with sparks coming off his body. "Is this it?" he asked.

"N-no, but it's similar to that." she sobbed. "It h-had the same eyes and color."

Argent looked at the Pokedex. "Now it makes sense. That's Rotom."

"R-Rotom?"

Argent nodded. "It's a Pokemon that can turn posses electrical things, like fridges and washers. It must be possessing your lawnmower. They're extremely rare worldwide."

"My lawnmower?" she snapped. "No! I would never use such a crude instrument on my garden!"

Argent recoiled. "Uh... Of course not. How foolish of me."

"So... If you're alright," Braedon said. "We'll be going now."

The girl nodded, turning back to the wreck that was her precious garden.

Amber, Braedon, and Argent started walking away. "Well, that was weird." Braedon said as soon as they were out of earshot. "I hope that woman isn't too traumatized." he said with a giggle.

"Braedon, it's not funny!" Amber slapped him on the arm. "She probably worked really hard on that garden."

Argent cleared his throat.

"What?" Braedon asked.

Argent took out a his Pokedex. "This is a list of all the Pokemon we have to catch. And if I'm not mistaken... Ah, here we are. Rotom is on the list."

Braedon grinned, and Amber smiled back. She knew that grin. "And Rotom's are rare too. It would be a shame to let this one go."

"So... We're going to catch it?" Amber asked Braedon.

He nodded. "Why not?" he said. "It makes sense."

Argent switched to the map feature on his Pokedex. "The town's not to big, so there's not too much ground to cover." he said. "We can finish this by today. We know it's nearby, so-"

"So it's probably getting away!" Braedon exclaimed. He grabbed Amber's arm and drug her along. "We have to go!"

"Wait!" Argent yelled. "We need to plan-"

"No time!" Braedon yelled. Amber almost laughed at Argent's expression as he ran to keep up with them.

* * *

After stopping to ask the girl which direction the Rotom went, the trio kept running down the streets of Vaniville Town. Had it been a different day, one where Amber wasn't as distracted, she would've appreciated a the small town's aesthetic. The houses were all similar, small and made of red brick, each with a garden of some sort. Soon the neighborhood turned into a string of shops.

"Have you seen this Pokemon?" they asked several people before actually getting a response.

"Yeah!" a man in his late forties yelled. "That damn thing wrecked my shop this morning! It ate the wires out of my t.v."

"Have you seen it recently?" Argent asked.

The man shook his head. "No." he answered.

"Ugh!" Braedon groaned after the man left. "We'll never find it!"

"We would make a plan!" Argent snapped. "Running after it hasn't worked. We need to figure out where it's going."

"That shouldn't be too hard." Amber said. "We know it likes to eat wires, and that it needs appliances."

"So we just go to places that have those things." Braedon said, snapping his fingers.

"So every place, then." Argent said.

Amber shook her head. "No. Rotom would be attracted to a place with a lot of appliances. One that's close by."

Argent pulled out his map and surveyed it. "The nearest stores fitting those requirements are... Let me see... Joe's Hardware that way." he pointed towards the street on his left. "Or Maku's Car dealership down Pryor Street."

"I think it's the Car Dealership." Braedon said with an edge in his voice. "Look!"

Braedon pointed down the street. Barreling towards them was an huge orange truck with giant eyes and an even bigger mouth.

"Move!" Argent yelled. He grabbed Braedon and Amber and pulled them out if the street as the truck zoomed past them.

"Ro!" It yelled joyously, as if almost running over three kids was reason to celebrate.

"Shit!" Braedon cursed. "How the hell are we gonna catch him now?"

Amber pulled a Pokeball out of her bag."I have an idea."

Braedon's eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "Are you serious?"

 _No_. Amber thought. But she felt something welling up inside her, the same something that filled her when her parents were badmouthing Braedon. _Passion_. She _wanted_ to do this. "Go, Tauros!"

Tauros appeared in a flash of white light. "Taur!"

"C'mon boy, let's go." Amber climbed on his back.

"What are you- ahh!" Argent fell on his behind when Amber took off.

Amber raced after Rotom, feeling the familiar sting of wind in her eyes. She was used to it. This was her playing field. She had spent countless hours of her life doing Riding Tauros and Stantler and other Pokemon who lived at her ranch. Amber could do this.

Amber saw the world blur beside her and she held on to Tauros's horns, using them to steer Tauros.

The Rotom turned a street corner and Amber leaned to the left, bringing her Pokemon with her. The two were quickly closing the gap between themselves and the Rotom.

"C'mon Tauros," Amber said. "A little closer..."

"Tauros!" he shouted. The Pokemon began to speed up, and Amber could almost feel the effort he was putting in.

"Yes!" Amber cried. She pulled out a pokeball with one hand and"Go, Tyrunt! Circle Stone Edge!"

Tyrunt appeared above her, jaw open. A ring of giant grey stones appeared around them.

Rotom stopped suddenly, turning to the side and drifting to avoid a collision.

"Now we got you!" Amber declared. Tyrunt landed next to her.

"Runt!" he agreed.

But Rotom wasn't out of tricks yet.

Suddenly the Orange skin began to peel off like putty wrapped around the car, until it reformed above the truck as an orange spinning top, Rotom's original form. It started to fly away.

"Oh no you don't!" Amber said. "Pursuit, Tauros!"

Tauros jumped into the air and landed on a stone. It then jumped off of the stone into the air above Rotom and headbutted into the a stone.

"Now, Take Down!"

Tauros charged forward eagerly. Rotom peeled itself off of the stone and dodged to the side.

"Ro Ro!" it cackled as Tauros hit the rock. It's horns cracked the surface and became lodged in it.

"Taur!" Tauros yelled, pulling against the rock.

It then let out a jolt of electricity, shocking Tauros. He writhed in pain.

"Tauros!" Amber yelled. That hit looked critical.

 _Wait... A critical hit!_

"Tauros!" Amber yelled. "Use that extra strength to lift that stone!"

"Taur-" Tauros gritted it's teeth and put all it's strength into it's back legs. "-os!" it cried as it lifted the boulder and turned around to face Rotom.

Rotom cowered in fear. "...Ro!"

"Do you give up?" Amber asked, crossing her arms. "Or do I tell Tauros to let go?"

* * *

"...and then I caught him, I guess." Amber said, rubbing her arm.

Braedon raised an eyebrow. "Let me make sure I got this right." he said. "After you chased down the Rotom on Tauros, you used your wrangling skills to catch it. Then you proceeded to rip a Rock from the ground and used it to scare Rotom into submission?"

Of course. He thought she was bragging, or lying. It was too fantastical of a story to believe anyway. She should just tell him that-

"That. Is. So. Cool!" Braedon said.

Sycamore nodded. "It is!" he cried. "Your first capture in the program, and it's Rotom. One powerful enough to possess a truck."

Even Argent nodded. "It's somewhat impressive."

"Somewhat?" Braedon said. "Dude, it's amazing!"

Amber hid her face. "I-it was nothing."

But none of them heard her.

"But I have a question." Professor Sycamore said.

"What is it, professor?"

"How did Tauros lift that boulder?"

Amber grinned sheepishly. "That's because his ability is Anger Point. When hit with a Critical move, his strength increases."

"Again, very cool." Braedon gushed.

Amber had never felt happier.

* * *

Gale really needed a drink.

After all, Joseph's mission to steal the Pokedexes from that scientist girl was not only unsuccessful, but it was a train wreck. Not only did he let her get away, he also let slip their name, and was still on the run.

This day couldn't get any worse, could it?

"Mistress, Mulan is here for you." a voice over the intercom said.

She sighed. Must be more bad news. "Send her in."

Mulan skipped inside Gale's office merrily, ignoring Gale's eyeroll at her behavior. Much like Masa, Mulan enjoyed being whimsical.

"Mistress." Mulan gave an exaggerated bow. "How do you do."

"I'm fine." Gale said irritably. "Get to the point."

"It's about Joseph." Mulan said. "As you know, he is still on the run. I know you decided to let him go without punishment-"

"I decided nothing. Masa is in charge of Joseph." Gale snapped. "Get to the point."

"And that you forbid us with communicating with him, but I couldn't help myself."

Gale rubbed her temples. Her underlings would be the death of her."What did you do?"

Mulan held up her hands defensively. "I just wanted to know how he is! But that's not important. What is important is what he told me."

"And what was that? It had better be good."

Mulan gulped. "He uh, he said that the Pokedexes weren't with the girl."

"Then where are they?" Gale demanded.

Mulan smiled. "Well, I did a little research-"

Gale snorted. "You, research?"

"Hey! I can do that kind of stuff to!" Mulan said sourly. "Anyway, I did some research- are you snickering? Ya know, that's not very nice."

Gale covered her mouth. "Fine." she let out one last chuckle. Two. "Go on."

"And it turns out the Pokedexes were given to three students as part of an scholarship program."

Mulan pulled out a Holocaster and switched it on. Three images appeared under the headline "Three students win acceptance into the major program."

"Is this them?" Gale asked. Mulan nodded. "Good. Then you'll be the one to get me those Pokedexes. And a some wine. You know what I like." Gale waved her away.

"With pleasure, Head Priest." Mulan said with another bow.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **What is the Hallowed Church planning? Who is Gale? Find out next week! Jk, I'm not revealing so much too soon.**

 **I really like the title of this chapter. Sounds a lot like Drivin' Miss Daisy.**

 **What I don't like is Rotom. Or at least I used to dislike it. After writing a fun chapter about the thing, I'm a little more partial to it. I don't really have a reason why I used to dislike it, I kind of just did. Sinnoh Pokemon in general were just meh to me, with the exceptions of Lucario, Drapion, the legendaries and a few others.**

 **So, that's it. Review please?**


	5. Chapter 5: The Bet

By the second time, Amber had already gotten tired of reciting the story.

The first time was stressful enough. Amber hated being the center of attention for too long. What if she messed up and embarrassed herself? What if she stuttered or looked stupid? So many things could go wrong.

The first time wasn't too bad. She had Braedon there, for one. The second time she told the story was for her family via Holocaster, which was taxing in that she had to water it down and lie to them so she didn't worry them. They still saw right through her. By the time she was done, they had already considered sending her home. After talking them down, Amber was exhausted.

So of course that was when Officer Jenny arrived, right as she hung up with her parents.

Now she had to speak to the authorities, and neither party was glad to see each other for the second time in as many days. But Amber knew they were coming, because a car had been stolen, so she was a little prepared. She even managed to wrap it up within an hour.

So by that afternoon, Amber was ready to take a nap that would make the Snorlax at her ranch proud.

But a nap would have to wait, because, according to Argent, they were on a schedule. After she bravely (stupidly) insisted to Braedon that she was fine, they left for Route 1, also known as the Vaniville Pathway, a natural sidewalk/nature preserve where Pokemon catching was not allowed. Which meant she had nothing to distract herself when Argent and Braedon inevitably started arguing.

All in all, Amber wasn't having the most pleasant of days.

* * *

The walk to Aquacorde town was short due to the lack of Pokemon.

The town itself, however, brought one word to mind: water.

Much like Cyperus Town, the location of their school, it was connected to a river. (In fact, it was built because people flocked to the river and decided to stay). Fountains dotted the city like checkmarks alongside the city, most with kids and some kind of water Pokemon playing in them.

And then their was the river itself. Split by a single river leading to Route 2, the river was the crown jewel of Aquacorde, kept clean by a dedicated team of cleaners with Qwilfish that ate all pollutants and Minccino trained to swim in the water and pick up trash. Because of this, the Aquacorde river sparkled like a sapphire.

Amber thought it was a pity they were only staying there a day. The town was serene and beautiful.

"So I say we hurry up and heal our Pokemon so we can get to Route 2." Braedon said between bites of a granola bar. They were at the Pokemon Center after a day of exploring the lovely town and it's attractions. "No use to stay here long if we can leave by nightfall."

"Why?" Argent asked. "The only Pokemon on our list in that area are Scatterbug and Bunnelby. We can just go tomorrow and make it to the Pokemon Center on the outskirts of the Santalune Forest before nightfall of tomorrow."

Braedon snorted. "But then we won't be able to camp out!" Braedon declared. "Hey Am, remember that time we went camping on a field trip and Robby Sanchez was attacked by a Zigzagoon?"

Amber smiled. "And you put a puppet in his bed and he screamed like a Noivern." she reminisced.

Braedon looked at Argent. "What about you? Have any good camping stories?"

Argent coughed awkwardly. "I haven't had the opportunity to go camping, actually."

"Wait, for real?" Braedon asked. "How come?"

"I just think it's pointless." Argent said defensively. "The whole point of houses is to protect you from the elements. They have a practical purpose. If you were in the dark and had a flashlight, you'd use it . It's the same thing with camping. You have shelter, and yet you decide to ignore it."

"But we will need the shelter." Braedon argued. "We're not always gonna be near a Pokemon Center during our travels. Camping is necessary."

"But not today." Argent pointed out.

"You just don't want to go." Braedon said smugly. "Not because you deem it useless. But because you're too prissy to rough it."

Argent gritted his teeth so hard Amber could practically hear it. "You're wrong. I just don't want to."

"Then prove it." Braedon said. "Battle me. You win, and we go with your plan. I win, we go camping. Sound fair?"

"No." Argent said. "A battle with me would be grossly one sided."

"Yeah right." Braedon snapped. "I'm taking you camping whether you like it or not. So prepare to lose!"

Amber just sighed.

* * *

"Okay," Amber said. They were outside on the PC battlefield. Amber was acting as official referee, a job she took seriously. "This will be a one-on-one battle, League rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to lowest level Pokemon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"

"Go, Kecleon!" Braedon yelled, throwing Kecleon's Pokeball.

"Kecleon!" it yelled. Resembling an Iguana, with a foot tongue to match, Kecleon came up to Braedon's waist. It was green, with yellow fin like appendages on it's head and a jagged red stripe going across it's stomach.

Argent's eyes narrowed. "That's not a Dark Type."

Braedon grinned. "I know, but Kecleon is so darn useful. Espionage. Stealing. Sneaking around. Me and my buddy have got into a lot of trouble together."

"I bet you have." Argent muttered. He brought out his Pokedex and scanned Kecleon, even though he was familiar with the species. A hologram of Kecleon appeared above the Pokedex.

 _"Kecleon, the Color Swap can freely change its body's color. The zigzag pattern on its belly doesn't change, however. Level 20. Moves Known: Feint Attack, Lick, Bind, and Ancient Power. Type: Normal. Ability: Color Change."_

 _Color Change._ Argent thought. _That's how it turns invisible. Braedon's probably going to try that in the battle. And I can't use Crafty Sheild, he doesn't have any status moves._.. Argent began to form counter strategies in his mind.

"Dude, are you gonna let out your Pokemon or what?" Braedon called across the field.

Argent shook his head to clear it. "Go, Klefki!"

Klefki materialized in a flash of light. Klefki, a keychain like Pokemon, held several keys on its ring.

"Nice." Braedon said appreciatively. He took out his Pokedex and scanned Klefki.

" _Klefki, The Key Ring Pokemon. These key collectors threaten any attackers by fiercely jingling their keys at them. Level 23. Moves Known: Fairy Lock, Fairy Wind, Metal Sound, and Spikes. Ability: Prankster."_

Amber raised her arms. "Are both participants ready?" they both nodded. "Then... Begin!"

Braedon didn't waste a second. "Kecleon, Ancient Power!"

Jagged rocks materialized above Kecleon. They flew towards Klefki.

"Dodge!" Argent commanded. Klefki swerved to dodge each stone.

"Now! Disappear while they're distracted!" Braedon yelled.

 _That's what you're trying._ Argent thought. "Klefki, look for a red stripe." he instructed. Klefki and Argent looked around.

But suddenly Klefki cried out. "Klef!"

"Too late!" Braedon declared. Kecleon's form appeared behind Klefki. It was holding Klefki up with it's tongue, constricting it's body tightly. "Too slow, Argent."

"I am not," Argent snapped, losing his composure. "You used a dirty tactic."

"It's perfectly legal." Braedon argued. "You just aren't willing to admit that you messed up. Kecleon, tighten your grip!"

"Ki!" Klefki screamed in pain.

"Klefki!" Argent yelled. "Spikes attack!"

Klefki began to glow. Suddenly, spikes made of rock jutted out of the ground, digging into Kecleon's feet. The Color Swap Pokemon's grip loosened and Klefki broke free of it's grip.

"Fairy Wind! Argent yelled.

Klefki's eyes turned pink and the air around Kecleon turned into a swirling pink vortex.

"Kecleon!" Braedon shouted, panic evident in his voice.

Kecleon was thrown high into the air. He landed on the ground in a heap.

"Kecleon, are you okay?" Braedon called out.

Kecleon slowly got up. "Kec..."

"Don't let up, Klefki! Fairy Wind once more!" Argent yelled.

"Dodge," Braedon yelled. "Then Feint Attack!"

Kecleon rushed forward, narrowly escaping the still forming vortex of pink wind. He then faked like he was jabbing to the left, then jabbed to the right when Klefki dodged in the same direction. Klefki flew across the field. Klefki collapsed to the ground, then floated back up.

"Shake it off." Argent called. "Metal Sound!" Klefki began to vibrate like a tuning fork, emitting a sound that would weaken Kecleon's special defense. Argent felt a piercing shiver go through him, like nails on a chalkboard. He saw Kecleon shiver too.

"Now use Fairy Wind!" Argent commanded.

"Counter with Ancient Power!" Braedon yelled desperately.

Kecleon launched a volley of rocks at Klefki right as a vortex of wind formed around it.

The rocks hit Klefki head on, while the vortex spit out Kecleon.

"Klefki!"

"Kecleon!"

Amber looked from one Pokemon to another. "Neither Pokemon is capable of fighting. This battle is a tie."

Argent returned Klefki. "You'll do better next time."

"You too." Braedon told Kecleon as he returned it. "But now, you deserve a rest."

Braedon and Argent met Amber halfway across the battlefield.

"Well? What now?" Braedon asked. "We tied. What do we do now?"

Argent sighed. "Try again?"

"Nah, I don't think so." Braedon said.

Argent crossed his arms. "Why not?" he asked.

Then Braedon surprised Argent by smiling. "That battle was pretty intense. I'm not up for another one." he yawned. "You did pretty well though."

"Of course." Argent said. "Why would you have expected any less?"

Braedon rolled his eyes. "Wow. Remind me to never shoot you a compliment again. So tactless."

"That's like a Zoroark calling a Sableye Dark." Argent retorted.

Amber tugged on Braedon's sleeve. "Uh, Brae?" he ignored her.

"I am totally polite!" Braedon argued.

"Guys?"

"You stole my toothbrush yesterday!"

"And I returned it. See, polite."

"Guys!" Amber said loudly.

Both boys looked at her.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to raise my voice but... It's going to rain."

She pointed upward. Sure enough, the clouds were overcast and gray.

"I guess we can't go camping." Argent said smugly.

"Shut up." Braedon balled his fists and walked towards the Pokemon Center.

"You know, this technically means I won."

Braedon put up his middle finger. "You know, this technically means you can suck it."

Argent shook his head. "Arceus, you're vulgar. And repulsive."

Braedon smiled. "And annoying. And a jerk. That's why I'm loved."

Argent just snorted and walked inside.

* * *

Vivillon couldn't take it anymore. Today had not been it's day.

First, it had awoken to find itself in a cage. To make matters worse (though at the time, Vivillon couldn't imagine anything worse than being in a cage), the cage kept moving up and down and shaking. Then the cage flipped over, causing Vivillon to flip and land on it's wing. It cried out when it felt a tear in it's wing. It's beautiful, rare wing, that all the other Pokemon of the forest admired. How could Vivillon possibly show face after she escaped (and she would escape- or die trying) with a broken wing?

What had she done to deserve this? She wasn't mean or nasty. Sure, she acted vain sometimes, but that was because she had the talent and beauty to back it up. Vivillon certainly didn't put down others to build herself up. She didn't need to- she had wings.

So she hadn't, in her dogmatic opinion, deserved any of this.

At least the shaking stopped. Vivillon thought. And if she had thought further, she would have realized that it had stopped right when the cage flipped over and her wing broke, and if she had thought even further she would have realized that she had been on the back of something- be it a car or Pokemon- and fallen off. But she didn't think further than that, because soon the pain caused her to blackout.

* * *

 **A/N: So, who put the Vivillon in a cage? And will our heroes save her? And will Argent ever go camping? Read and review to find out!**


	6. Chapter 6: The Greatest Pokemon Hunter

Pokemon Hunters were despised by even those who hired them.

Created by demand when selling Pokemon became illegal, Pokemon hunters were a ruthless group. They were willing to do anything to get rare Pokemon, including stealing them from the trainers who owned them. They practically ran the black market, selling rare and valuable Pokemon for prices that would've made their buyers cry if the buyers weren't filthy rich themselves.

Austin Bernard had always wanted to be one. Or at least it seemed that way to him. In reality, he had wanted to be one since the show Xavier Knight came on television.

Xavier Knight was a (fictional) Pokemon Hunter, and the star of his own action television program. He was smart, brave, ruthless, and, in the eyes of many twelve year old children, the epitome of cool. Xavier spent half an hour (twenty minutes without commercials) every week kicking good guy butt to gain some kind of rare Pokemon, using a variety of incredible gadgets. Austin wanted to be just like him.

And he would be. As soon as he found the Pokemon that fell off his bike.

* * *

"I hate this damn thing!" Braedon cursed. "Sableye, to the right!"

Sableye darted towards the Bunnelby, who jumped back into it's hole just as Sableye tried to tackle it.

Amber sweatdropped. "Are you sure you don't want me to-"

Braedon gritted his teeth. "No way. This thing is mine. Sableye, over there!"

Sableye darted to the right and just missed Bunnelby. Amber could swear she heard a snicker as it went down.

"That's it!" Braedon declared. He grabbed a Pokeball from his belt and threw it. "Kecleon, Bind!"

Kecleon appeared in a flash of light. It's tongue darted out and snaked into the hole, pulling out a squirming Bunnelby.

"Now, throw him!" Braedon commanded. Kecleon threw Bunnelby, and The Digging Pokemon flew across the field and slammed into a tree.

Braedon threw a Pokeball. Bunnelby disappeared inside it. Braedon nearly did a football dance when he heard it click.

"Woo!" he yelled, probably scaring all the wild Pokemon of Route 2. He did a little dance.

Amber laughed. "Are you done?"

He did a few more moves, then nodded. "Now that that's done, let's meet His Highness and move on to Santalune forest." Braedon said. The three of them had entered Route 2 (also called the Avance Trail) that morning after staying at the Pokemon Center overnight. They decided to catch the Pokemon native to the area that were on their list- the Bunnelby, Fletchling, and Vivillon evolutionary lines. They had decided to each take one evolutionary line. Amber had already caught a Scatterbug, Spewpa, and Vivillon, then she ran into Braedon trying to catch Bunnelby (which, due to it's speed, was apparently harder to catch then it's evolved form Diggersby). Argent was somewhere trying to catch a Fletchling. But Fletchling were plentiful and easy to catch, what with their low levels and abundance. Amber suspected he was trying to catch it's older and more dangerous evolution. Even though they had agreed to wait until they were together to do that.

"Wait. The Pokedex has a tracer function." Amber said. She pulled it out of her Pokedex and switched it on. "It takes a few seconds, but it should find him."

"While you do that, I'll catalog Bunnelby and Diggersby." Braedon said. He scanned both Pokeballs at once, something he could do due to the Pokedex's advanced features.

 _"Bunnelby, The Digging Pokemon. Bunnelby has ears like shovels. Digging holes strengthens its ears so much that they can sever thick roots effortlessly. If left alone, it will spend all night digging without rest. Level 10. Moves Known: Agility, Leer, Quick Attack, Double Slap. Ability: Pickup."_

 _"Diggersby, The Digging Pokemon. With their powerful ears, they can heft boulders of a ton or more with ease. They can be a big help at construction sites. When it's finished digging, it lounges lazily. Level 22. Moves Known:Rototiller, Hammer Arm, Swords Dance, and Agility."_

Amber whistled. "This Diggersby has some impressive moves. Nice job catching him."

"Thanks." Braedon said. "That was fun. Unlike this annoying little shit." he glared at Bunnelby's Pokeball, before putting both Pokeballs in his bag.

"Got'em!" Amber said. "The Pokedex says that he's this way."

Amber and Braedon started walking in the direction the Pokedex pointed them in. It didn't take them long to find Argent, whose was still looking for a Talonflame when they found him.

"Why'd you go by yourself?" Braedon asked him hotly.

"I thought I saw one." Argent retorted as they started to walk down the Route. Amber decided to ignore them and take in the scenery. Route 1 wasn't anything special, but the Pokemon were fun to watch. "But it was just a rather large Fletchinder."

"Like it matters!" Braedon snapped. "You were supposed to wait for us-"

"I didn't think I would find a Talonflame anyway-"

"Again, it doesn't matter!" Braedon continued. "That was a stupid thing to do

. Your Pokemon have a weakness to fire types."

"I had a plan." Argent said coolly. "That may be a foreign concept to you-"

"Oh, shut up!"

Amber started to walk ahead of them. She was getting tired of their constant bickering, even if she agreed with Braedon. Granted, Argent wasn't the most pleasant or humble companion, and Braedon was a bit of a troublemaker, but neither of them were even trying to get along. Were their personalities so opposing that the two would always clash?

Maybe, maybe not. Amber hoped not. The whole journey would be tiring if they spent the whole time fighting.

But you're not here to have fun. She reminded herself. You're here to help your family.

Her family. Amber had nearly forgotten them for a second, and felt guilty. She had been away from them before, when she was staying at her boarding school. But that didn't mean she didn't miss them. She was a shy town girl. Her family had been her only friends until she met Tyrunt and then Braedon.

Amber thought of Braedon and Argent arguing behind her, then of Tyrunt and Tauros asleep in their Pokeballs. She wasn't alone, at least. She had her partner, her best friend, a Pokemon from her home, and a new companion. Things could be worse.

She could trip over a something and look like a dork.

"Oof!" Amber cried as she fell to the ground, catching herself with her hands.

"Amber!" Braedon yelled. Amber got up and looked behind her. She hadn't realized how far ahead she was of the two. They were several yards away.

"Vivill!"

Amber looked down at what she tripped over. It looked like one of those things used to hold people and Pokemon before Apricorn and Pokeballs. She had seen one in her history book.

The word came to her lips. "A cage?"

She crouched down and peered inside. Their was a Pokemon inside. It was black with enormous red and white wings "A Vivillon?"

The Pokemon nodded. "Viv!" it cried out. It tried to sit up, then cringed in pain.

Amber gasped. "Are you okay?" Amber asked it. It shook it's head.

Amber heard the others run to her."Amber, what are you- oh my Arceus!" Argent pointed to the cage, at the thing Amber missed. A tear in Vivillon's wing.

Amber's life taking care of Pokemon meant she had seen many wounds, both human and Pokemon. But that didn't mean thry had ever stopped disgusting her.

"We need to get her out of this cage." Braedon said automatically.

"Wound comes first." Amber said, pulling a bottle out of her backpack. It was a Super Potion, created by scientists to heal a Pokemon's wounds. "This should at least mend it until we can get you to a Pokemon Center.

Vivillon tried to cower away from the bars as Amber stuck her hand in between them.

"It's okay." Amber told it softly. "I'm trying to help you. Please come back."

Vivillon hesitated, then moved forward. "Okay. This is gonna hurt a little..."

Amber sprayed the tear with her potion. It began to seal itself.

"Viv!" Vivillon cried out.

Amber put a soothing hand on Vivillon's head, between its antennas . Vivillon jumped back.

"Hey now, don't do that." Amber scolded it. "I know it hurts, but this will help you. Look, see your wing?" Amber gestured to it, and Vivillon turned her head to look at the wound. Already it was closing up.

"See?" Amber said softly. "It's okay. Come here ..."

Vivillon scooted forward again, and Amber sprayed the contents of the rest of the bottle on the wing. Vivillon winced but did not move away.

"See?" Amber said kindly. "That wasn't too bad. " she turned to Braedon and pointed at the cage. "You're up."

"Huh?" Argent asked.

"It's a key lock." Amber said, as if that explained everything.

Braedon rubbed his hands together. "Okay, let's see what we got..." Braedon removed a small keyring with what resembled nail files with weird ends on it from his pocket.

"Is that a lock pick?" Argent asked reproachfully.

Braedon crouched down next to Amber and began to work on the lock. "Got a problem with it, Your Highness?"

"Actually, yes. It's highly un-"

"Done!" Braedon cried, standing up. "That's a new record, I'm sure."

Amber rolled her eyes and opened the cage. Vivillon flew out of it like a Zubat out of Hell.

"Wait!" Amber cried. "That's not safe! You're still healing."

"Am, she's fine." Braedon said as Vivillon did a happy twirl.

"But how?" Amber wondered. "That wound shouldn't be healed completely with just one potion... Unless..."

"Unless what?" Argent asked.

Amber brought out her Pokedex and scanned her. " _Vivillon, The Scale Pokemon. The patterns on Vivillon's wings depend on the climate and topography of its habitat. It scatters colorful scales. Female. Level 12. Moves Known: Powder, Gust, String Shot, and Struggle Bug. Ability: Compound Eyes. This Vivillon has a Pokeball Pattern."_

"Pokeball Pattern?" Braedon asked.

"Each Vivillon has a different pattern on it's back based on it's region. But Vivillon who live here should have the continental patterns. Strange."

"Well, at least we know why Vivillon healed so fast." Amber said, petting the Bug type affectionately. "She's young."

Argent nodded. All three of them knew that Potions worked better the lower lever you were. "It probably just evolved."

Vivillon flew around Amber's head then landed on the back so it looked like Amber had a Vivillon hat.

Amber laughed. "Such a cutie you are!" she gushed.

"Hey!" someone yelled. Amber looked towards the source of the sound.

"That's my Vivillon!" The voice cried. Out of the trees ran a boy less than Amber's height (translation: short) with messy orange hair. He wore a cowboy costume, which perplexed Amber the most.

"It's your Vivillon?" Braedon asked, narrowing his eyes. Vivillon clung harder to Amber.

Amber knew this Pokemon well. She had grown up raising them as part of the ranch. So she knew when a Pokemon was scared. It would flutter it's wings frantically and make a buzzing sound.

Amber's eyes narrowed as well.

The boy nodded. "I thought I lost it!" he cried.

"Did you?" Argent asked cooly.

"Yeah, I did." The boy said. "She's mine, so if you could just give her to me-"

"Because," Argent continued. "We just scanned it with one of our Pokedexes. And almost every Pokedex, even the basic models, has a function that tells the user if the Pokemon belongs to another trainer. So if we scan it, will it tell us that the Vivillon belongs to you?"

The boy's eyes widened, and Amber knew that he knew that he had been caught.

"Right," Argent said. Amber could almost feel the proud smirk he was holding back. "We'll be leaving then. With Vivillon."

"No!" The boy said. He withdrew a Pokeball. "It's mine and you can't have it! "

"You wanna battle?" Braedon said with an evil glint in his eye. He grabbed Sableye's Pokeball. "We can do that too."

Amber stepped forward. "No way, Braedon. You'll destroy him. We'll just take Vivillon and-"

"No!" The boy cried. He started to jump up and down. "No! I'm Austin Bernard, and I'm going to be the world's greatest Pokemon Hunter! Greater than Xavier Knight! So I need to catch that rare Vivillon!"

Amber took a step back. "Pokemon Hunter?" she muttered. Amber knew all about Pokemon Hunters. As someone who worked/lived at a Pokemon Ranch, a place that raised Pokemon both rare and common, she had heard about them all her life. Ranches were magnets for Poachers and the like, so they became something akin to the boogeyman to Amber: a threat that could very well be under her bed. She had heard countless stories from her parents about Pokemon Hunters. So naturally, she had an innate hatred of them since she was young.

And then five years ago happened...

"Why the hell would you want to be one of those?" she yelled, shocking her companions and herself. Vivillon tensed even more on her head. Amber wasn't the kind of girl to act like this. She was quiet, reserved. It's not that she hated talking- she was scared that she would say the wrong thing and embarrass herself, or offend someone, or something.

But this was different. Like when she had argued with her parents months ago and when she rode Tauros to catch Rotom, she felt a great stirring inside her. Like she had to do this. Her fears were still there. Amber still wanted to stop talking and apologize, just so everyone would stop staring at her. But her anger overpowered that. She was pissed. "Don't you know how horrible those people are?"

Austin shook his head vigorously. "You're wrong! No one's cooler than Xavier Knight!"

Argent paused. "Wait. Where have I heard that name before?"

The boy balled his fists. "He's the greatest Pokemon Hunter in existence!"

"I know." Braedon said. "It's from that stupid show on the History Network."

"It's not stupid! It's cool and-"

"Anything that glorifies something as deplorable as Pokemon Hunting is worse than stupid." Amber insisted. "I've never heard of Xavier Knight, but I can tell you right now that he's a terrible person, fictional or not."

The boy crossed his arms. "Take that back! And give me my Vivillon! I caught it fair and square."

He made a grab for Vivillon, but Amber moved out of the way. He tried to grab her, but Braedon pushed him back. Vivillon fluttered from Amber's head to a safe distance away from them.

Something clicked in Amber's head. "That was you who broke Vivillon's wing! Wasn't it?"

"W-what?" he asked.

Amber got right in his face. "You said you caught her. We found her in a cage with a broken wing."

"I-I- I didn't-" he sputtered. "Her wing wasn't broken when I caught her! She was sleeping."

Amber wanted to punch him. "That doesn't matter!" she snapped. "She could've died, you little brat!"

The boy took a step back. "I wasn't trying to hurt her! Honest! I just wanted to sell her. She has a rare wing pattern- selling her would make me a real Pokemon Hunter."

Amber was almost shaking. "Y-you-"

Braedon put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her back. "Am, let's just take Vivillon and go."

Amber nodded jerkily. "Right." she said in a low voice.

"No!" The boy cried again. "She's mine! I'm taking her home."

Braedon stepped forward. "Listen here you little shit-"

"It doesn't matter." Argent interrupted. "Vivillon is gone any way."

Amber looked up. Sure enough, Vivillon was no longer there.

"Ugh!" the boy said. "You let it get away!" he pushed Amber and Braedon out of the way and ran in the direction Vivillon went.

"Hey!" Braedon yelled. He moved to follow the kid, but Amber held him back.

"Stop." she said. "He's not worth it. Besides, Vivillon's long gone now. He won't catch her."

"Amber..." Braedon put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

Amber brushed him off. "C'mon. We need to get a move on if we're going to get to the Santalune Forest Pokemon Center before sundown."

And with that, she started walking.


	7. Chapter 7: Prodigies vs Talonflame

Amber was so bad at acting like she was okay that it was almost disturbing.

It took Argent awhile to notice, since he was not used to being around others and picking up on their emotions, but by the end of the day he noticed that she looked upset, but was hiding it. And he wouldn't have noticed if it weren't so obvious.

She laughed when Braedon told joke, but her laughs were hollow and not as full of life. Argent almost missed her old laugh, which was weird, because she seldom laughed around him anyway. She smiled, but her smiles were lifeless and half-hearted. Every once in awhile, Argent would notice her gazing off into the distance pensively, like her head was full of thoughts that she couldn't escape.

Argent was really... Well, not concerned, because he didn't care either way, but curious. What about the boy made her mope around this way? Was it losing Vivillon?

Argent decided to ask Braedon the next morning, while they were preparing to leave for the Santalune Forest. For curiosity's sake.

So that night, while Amber was busy looking at nothing and pondering Arceus knows what, Argent approached Braedon.

"Do you know what is troubling Amber?" he asked Braedon in a low voice. Not that Amber would have heard. She was busy.

Braedon raised an eyebrow, something Argent noticed was becoming common for the boy. "Why do you care?"

Argent shook his head. "I don't. I just want to know."

Braedon tilted his head. "You just want to know." he echoed. Argent nodded. "Well, it's not my story to tell."

"Fine." Argent began to walk away. He had no idea why he thought Braedon would tell him. Might as well go straight to the source.

"What are you-"

Argent walked up to Amber and cleared his throat. She looked up sharply, as if surprised he was there.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Argent crossed his arms. "I was just about to ask you the same question."

"I'm fine." Amber said, playing nervously with the hem of her shirt.

Braedon glared at Argent. "Leave her alone. She's says that she's fine."

Argent ignored him. "Is it that Vivillon?" Argent asked, though he knew it wasn't. "Because moping won't help you find her."

Amber looked at him. "Who says I want to find her? She's better off in the wild."

"With that boy?" Argent challenged. "Because that's where she'll end up. With him."

Amber bit her lip. "You think so?"

He nodded. "She's easy to find and quite young. I have no doubt that he'll find her. Unless you find her first."

Amber stood up. "You're right!" she said. "We have to find Vivillon. C'mon!" she ran out of the Pokemon Center.

Argent sighed and grabbed his backpack. "Wow, she's rambunctious. Let's go."

Braedon smiled at Argent as he walked out.

"What?" Argent asked.

Braedon chuckled and shook his head. "Nothing." he said. He followed them out.

"The tracks lead this way." Amber said to her companions. "So we go the opposite way." Amber had decided to go back to where they found the cage, reasoning that the bike tracks there would lead away from where Vivillon was caught, and that Vivillon would go back to where it was caught. The place where she was caught was probably close to her home. If not, it was as good a place to start looking as any.

"That leads to The Santalune Forest." Braedon said. "It makes sense for her to live there. And that's where we're headed anyway. Let's-"

Suddenly, they heard a scream. A high pitched, terrified scream, coming from the forest.

"C'mon!" Braedon yelled. The three of them ran into the forest.

They arrived in a clearing. There was Austin, holding a fainted Minccino in his arms and staring up in horror at the bird above him.

With a beak and claws sharper than most blades and a red and tan body, Talonflame was one of the most fearsome Pokemon Amber had ever seen.

"Talon!" it yelled as it charged the boy.

Amber acted instinctively. "Tauros!" she yelled, pressing the button on his Pokeball and throwing it.

Tauros appeared in front of Austin, causing Talonflame to stop in midair and fly backwards.

Amber ran to shield Austin, while Braedon and Argent ran to the other side of the field so the created a triangle. It was a common Pokemon catching tactic, where each person surrounds the Pokemon and traps it in. Or in this case, so they could all hit it at once.

Amber turned to her friends. They too had figured out what had happened- Austin had tried to catch Talonflame, and now it was pissed. "You guys knock it out of the sky, and I can knock it out with Stone Edge." she yelled.

They nodded. "Go, Sableye!" Braedon yelled. He threw their Pokeballs.

"Honedge!" Argent did the same.

"Tyrunt!" Amber released him.

The three Pokemon appeared.

"Talon!" Talonflame let out a jet of flames Sableye.

"Nightshade!" Braedon told Sableye. Sableye shot a ray of black light, which met the jet of flames in a fiery explosion. Amber, Braedon, and Argent covered their eyes to avoid the dust kicked up by the explosion.

"Honedge, Shadow Ball!" Argent commanded. Honedge shot a ball of dark energy at Talonflame, who knocked it away with it's wing without breaking a sweat.

"Keep going!" Argent yelled. "It block can't forever. Shadow Ball!"

"Help out with Nightshade!" Braedon commanded.

The two launched their attacks, but Talonflame's body became wrapped in fire. It began to dodge each attack, getting faster with each dodge.

"Scary Face, Tauros! Slow him down!" Tauros obeyed, twisting it's face into a scowl. The flames around Talonflame dissipated and a dark Aura replaced it, surrounding Talonflame. It began to fly like it was encased in jelly.

"Now, attack!" Braedon yelled. Both Pokemon launched a Shadow Ball/Nightshade combo at Talonflame, hitting it out of the air.

Amber saw her chance. "Now! Stone Edge!"

Tyrunt hit the ground with his tail. Jagged rocks emerged from the ground and shot towards Talonflame.

"Flame!" Talonflame cried out as it was knocked out of the sky.

"Yeah!" Amber cried. "Pokeball, go!"

She threw a Pokeball at Talonflame.

Right at the last second, Talonflame shot into the air from the ground, dodging the Pokeball.

Talonflame turned once it was out of range of attacks and began rocket towards Amber and Austin.

"Horn Attack!" Amber yelled desperately, jumping to the side. She hoped Austin had the sense to do the same.

Tauros jumped forward and caught the brunt of the attack with it's horns. Talonflame began to push Tauros, who pushed back even harder. Then Talonflame's body became swathed in flame, burning Tauros. The flames then surrounded Tauros.

"Tauros!" Amber yelled as it's legs gave out and it collapsed.

"Retaliate!" Argent yelled. His Honedge flew forward. Moving like someone was holding it, it slashed at Talonflame. Talonflame dodged each Slash, then shot a close range Flamethrower at Honedge, knocking it across the field.

"Now, Sableye!" Braedon yelled. Talonflame's shadow came to life. It was Sableye using Shadow Sneak. Sableye wrapped it's shadowy body around Talonflame.

"Talon!" it yelled. It's body once again became wrapped in flame, causing Sableye to let go and cry out in pain. He fell to the ground.

Amber commanded Tyrunt to use Stone Edge, forcing Talonflame to dodge. This gave Braedon time to call back Sableye. Argent did the same to Honedge.

Talonflame's body became wrapped in fire again. Amber racked her brains for what to do. Tauros had fainted. Sableye and Honedge too. All she had was Tyrunt, who couldn't take out Talonflame alone.

Talonflame shot towards Amber.

"Stone Edge!" Amber yelled, because she couldn't think of anything else. Jagged stones jutted from the ground again, forcing Talonflame to veer off course.

"Tyrunt, now use Ancient Power!" Amber yelled.

Large boulders began to form above Tyrunt. He launched them at Talonflame.

Talonflame dodged each one effortlessly, getting closer to Tyrunt with each dodge. It sped towards them, encasing it's body with fire.

Amber covered her face, because she knew that she wouldn't have time to move. She heard Braedon scream her name.

"Vivill!"

Amber heard a loud noise. She moved her arms and saw a brilliant explosion of fire above her. Talonflame fell from the smoke to the ground.

Amber stared at it's limp body, unable to move herself.

"Amber!" Braedon yelled as he and Argent ran to her.

"Amber!" Braedon pulled her into a bone crushing hug. "Are you alright?"

Amber nodded slowly. "W-what happened? Not that I'm complaining, but how did I survive?"

Braedon pointed up. Amber followed his finger and saw Vivillon, their friend, flying above her. She flew to Amber and landed on the back of her head.

"You saved me?" Amber stuttered. Then she grabbed Vivillon and twirled her around. "You saved us! Thank you!" she squealed, hugging Vivillon. The Scale Pokemon let it happen, even though it was messing up her wings.

"Tyrunt-ty!" Tyrunt thanked her.

Braedon nodded. "She released this green stuff and Talonflame blew up!

Argent frowned. "That was Powder, Vivillon's special move. It causes Fire type attacks to backfire and blow up in their user's face." he threw a looked at Talonflame. "I guess I should catch it..."

"Catch it?" Braedon said. "It tried to kill us!"

Argent sighed. "Yes, but we need it for our list. Besides, this way he won't be able to hurt anyone else. Hmm. I'll use a Luxury Ball. Hopefully that will calm him down." Argent fished the Pokeball from his bag and threw it at Talonflame. It disappeared inside it. The ball clicked once... Twice... Then with one final click, Talonflame was caught.

Amber hugged Vivillon tighter. "Great job! Thanks to you we're alive, and we caught a Talonflame!"

"You saved us?"

They all turned around. They had forgotten about Austin, who was still on the floor clutching Minccino.

Amber was to tired to feel furious. "Yeah, she did."

Austin returned Minccino and stood up. "I'm so sorry, I-"

Amber forgot her weariness. She slapped him. "You're sorry, you little prick? You nearly got all of us killed because you wanted to be a damn Pokemon Hunter-"

Braedon grinned. "I love it when she gets like this." he told Argent.

"-and you have the nerve to say sorry?" Amber shrieked. "I'm going to-"

"Wait!" Austin interrupted. "I don't want to be a Pokemon Hunter anymore-"

"Damn right you don't." Amber growled. "Wait, what?"

The boy shook his head. "I don't want to be a Pokemon Hunter!" he yelled eagerly. " Xavier Knight couldn't of taken out that Talonflame like that! You guys are way cooler!"

Argent looked at Braedon. "He does know we would have lost without Vivillon?" Braedon shrugged.

Amber looked at Braedon as well, then back at the kid. "Um... Thank you?" she was too confused to be angry.

The boy smiled and hugged her. Amber looked ready to bolt. "Of course! Now I'm going to train to become the World's Greatest Pokemon Trainer! I just have to heal Minccino!" he ran off with Minccino's pokeball.

"...What just happened?" Amber asked them.

"I believe we have a fan club." Braedon said. "At least he learned his lesson."

"What lesson?" Argent snorted. "He's just going to change his mind when the next thing comes along. Next he'll want to be the world's greatest Pokemon gardener or something."

It wasn't that funny. Or funny at all. But the three of them found themselves laughing all the same

* * *

.Amber waited until Braedon was showering to talk to Argent.

"Argent?" Amber said quietly. The boy was pouring over a map of Kalos and his Pokedex, cataloging Pokemon that lived in certain places.

"Hmm?" he looked up. "Oh. Amber. Make whatever you're saying quick. I'm working. Someone on this trip has too."

Amber nearly changed her mind when he said that, but she didn't. She had made up her mind.

"Oh... It's nothing... Just... Thanks, I guess," Amber muttered, her eyes glued to the floor. "For motivating me to find Vivillon. If you hadn't, we wouldn't of found and saved Austin."

Argent looked back at his map. "Oh that? You're right, it was nothing. I was just stating the logical conclusion I came to about the boy and Vivillon, because I thought you would want to know."

Amber nodded. She stood there for a few minutes. After a while, she blurted out "DoyouwanttogoouttoeatwithBraedonandI."

Argent looked up. "What?"

Amber cleared her throat. "I mean... Do you want to go out to eat with us? We were going to dine at this restaurant Braedon knows about, and... I wanted to know if you wanted to come."

Argent didn't look up. "I'm fine. I already ate."

Amber nodded. "Well... Okay. Sorry."

Argent didn't respond. He just kept staring at the map.

Amber left the room and waited for Braedon, then they headed out the Pokemon Center together.

Amber looked around. It really was beautiful at night. The river reflected the starry sky perfectly, making it appear that the water Pokemon were floating in a stream of stars.

"So, did you ask him?" Braedon asked her after they had walked a short distance.

Amber nodded. "Yeah. He said no. I don't know why you made me ask him."

Braedon shrugged. "He hates me. I figured he'd at least consider the offer if it was from you."

Amber looked her friend in the eye. It was their unspoken agreement that when one did this, the other was expected to tell the truth. "If you think he hates you...Why did you want him to come?"

Braedon shrugged. "I didn't... I just thought... Remember earlier today, when you were moping?"

"I wasn't moping, " Amber said. "But yes. What of it?"

Braedon broke eye contact to look at the sky. Amber followed his gaze. "Well... He asked about you."

"About me?" Amber said.

Braedon nodded. "Yeah. It sounded like he was worried about you. So I figured he was finally warming up to us."

"I'm sure he will." Amber said. "He just doesn't know us. And you do kinda annoy him."

Braedon grinned. "All part of my charm, Am."

Amber rolled her eyes, which were still pointed upward. The stars really looked beautiful tonight.

Wait. Was one of them... Moving? Towards Amber?

Next thing she knew, it collided with her face.

"Vivill!" it cried.

"Vivillon!" Amber yelled. The Scale Pokemon fluttered before her. "What are you doing here?"

"Vi-vi! She said. She fluttered to Amber's head and landed there.

"I think she wants to go with you." Braedon said with a smile.

"Do you?" Amber asked her.

"Viv!" Vivillon agreed.

Amber pulled a Pokeball off her belt. "Okay. Welcome to my team!"

Amber pressed the button on the ball. A red beam of light hit Vivillon and she disappeared.

The Pokeball clicked once in Amber's hand.

Amber felt a grin spread slowly across her face, like the ripples of the water- starting out small, then expanding.

"I caught a Vivillon!" she cried.

* * *

Argent held his head in his hands. This was too much.

Or, at least it seemed like too much. Argent was looking for the location of Zoroa, to mark on his map, but couldn't find it on his Pokedex or the Holonet. It was beginning to stress him out.

He wondered if he should of took up Amber's offer. Even a night with Braedon would be more enjoyable than this. It was boring, to be honest.

But you have to. Argent heard his Dad in his head. Don't you want to be the best? Unlike your brothers?

Argent sat up straight. No. He would not fail Father as his brothers did.

If he were to do that, he would never see father again.

* * *

 **A/N: So, we have a new Team Member! I really love Vivillon. They're one of my favorite bug types, if not my favorite.**

 **And what is Argent talking about? What secrets is he hiding? Will he ever thaw out and befirend Amber and Braedon? Read to find out!**

 **A/N 2: I'm not happy with this chapter. Grr. Please review and tell me how to fix it.**


	8. Chapter 8: Poke-Problems

A/N: The Pokemon in this chapter and future chapters talk to each other. The. Words in " " are what the humans hear, the words in italics following them are the words mean. Just wanted to explain before I started the chapter.

Allons-y!

* * *

Vivillon hadn't realized how tough belonging to a trainer would actually be.

See, there was the problem. Her new trainer actually expected her to _battle_. Something Vivillon wasn't entirely used to.

It took coaxing and pleading and Amber's Poochyena eyes to get her to agree to a training match. And even then, Vivillon had her reservations.

"Lick, Kecleon!" Braedon yelled.

"Kec-Kec!" _Let's do it!_ Kecleon said as he leaped forward and extended his tongue. He then proceeded to lick Vivillon.

"Vivill! Vivillon!" _Gross, gross, gross!_ She cried. She flew away from the battle and landed on Amber's head. "Vivillon, vivi. Lon-lon. Vivill!" _This is just great. Now I'm covered in slobber. I hope you're proud of yourself!_

"Kecleon, Kec!" _I'm mostly just hungry._

Vivillon sweatdropped. _Buffoon_. She thought.

"Vivillon," Amber said, removing the Pokemon from her head and holding her in front of her. Vivillon was surprised Amber didn't complain about the slobber. Maybe humans didn't care about that sort of thing. How strange of them. "You can't just run from the battle."

"Vivi! Vivi-lon!" _I can if it's disgusting._

"Kecleon!" _Who you callin' disgusting?_

"Vivilon!" _You, Simpleton._

"Kecleon! Kecleon!" _At least I'm not a low level loser like you!_

Vivillon broke free from Amber's grasp and flew back to the battlefield.

"H-hey!" Amber cried.

"Vivillon! Vivi!" _Says the petty thief!_ She buzzed.

"Are they... Fighting?" Braedon asked.

Amber stepped onto the battlefield. "Knock it off, you two."

"Vivillon!" _Yes, knock it off, Kecleon._ She buzzed.

"Kecleon!" _You started it!_

Argent looked up from his Holocaster. "Maybe this is a good thing."

Amber looked at him. "How so?"

"It will encourage Vivillon to fight." he pointed out.

Amber turned to Vivillon. "How about it? You wanna fight some more?"

Vivillon nodded, a gesture she picked up from the humans (she rather liked their forms of silent communication. They were useful).

Vivillon turned back to Kecleon.

"Okay then...Struggle Bug!" Amber commanded.

Vivillon flew forward and began to shake. A green aura surrounded it. The light began to expand as it shook, blinding her opponent, Kecleon, and throwing him back with the force of her energy.

"Kecleon!" _Ahhh!_ Kecleon cried as it flew back. He fell to the ground in a graceless arc.

"Vivi! Vivi!" _I did it!_ Vivillon cried.

Kevleon picked itself up. "Lick, again!" Braedon cried.

"Kecleon!" _With pleasure._

"Vivillon, dodge! Then use Powder!"

Vivillon flew up right as his tongue shot towards her. She then shook her wings vigorously, covering it in a green powder.

"Kecleon!" _Eww!_ It retracted it's tongue quickly. "Kecleon!" _That tastes disgusting!"_

"Vivi." _Thank_ s. She said smugly.

"So we're fighting dirty now?" Braedon asked. "Fine! Go invisible, Kecleon!"

Kecleon smiled evilly. The last thing to disappear was his malicious grin.

"Now, use Gust!" Amber cried.

Vivillon flapped her wings, creating violent gusts of wind across the battlefield. Vivillon understood why she was doing this. Gust hit the whole battlefield- invisible or not, Gust would hit Kecleon.

"Kec!" _Surprise_!

Vivillon didn't have a chance to turn around before something slimy wrapped around her.

"Vivill..." _You were behind me?_ She grunted.

Kecleon grinned (which was hard to do when your tongue was extended) and his grip on her tightened.

"Vivillon! Struggle Bug!"

But Vivillon couldn't move. "Vivill..." she said as everything went black.

* * *

After the battle, Amber healed Vivillon and they stopped to eat, setting up a picnic blanket and making sandwiches with crushed bread (Braedon though it was a good idea to put bread in the _bottom_ of his pack) and had cookies for dessert. The Pokemon merrily ate Pokemon food, except Sableye and Vivillon, who ate rocks and nectar from flowers, respectively.

Sableye turned into a shadow and snaked across Braedon's body to get to his shoulder. He arrived and perched there in his tangible form.

Sableye loved the move Shadow Sneak- he loved being almost intangible, with no one be able to touch him.

Of course, he could be hit. Shadow Sneak only allowed him to turn into a thin shadow-like substance, not an actual shadow, that was hard to hit, not impossible. After all, Amber and Talonflame had done it.

"You want one?" Braedon asked in surprise. Sableye didn't eat cookies. Or normal food at all. They ate rocks or gems, and Braedon had given him a pile of the former. Nevertheless, Braedon offered one to the Pokemon. He grinned and grabbed it.

"Sable!" _Go long!_ He yelled and he threw the food.

Tyrunt ran forward with his head turned towards the flying food. He stopped after he was a few yards away and jumped in the air, eating the thing in one quick gulp.

Braedon, Amber, and most of the Pokemon laughed. Vivillon simply shook her head and Honedge didn't react at all.

"Should you be feeding them human food?" Argent asked.

Braedon shrugged. "It was a cookie, not a whole cake. Tyrunt will be fine."

Argent did that human thing where you let air out of your mouth. Sableye forgot what it was called, but Argent seemed to do it often. "Nevermind. We should be getting ready to go anyway. We have to get going if we want to get to the Santalune city by nightfall. And we have Pokemon to catch."

Amber bit into her cookie. "What are they?"

Argent took out his Pokedex. "Does no one prepare but me?"

"Yeah, yeah, you're perfect." Braedon said in a tired voice. "We've heard it all before. Just answer her question."

Argent held up his Pokedex and said "Pokedex, show me The Pansear, Panpour, and Pansage evolutionary lines."

The Pokedex projected a Hologram above it of three monkey like Pokemon, one red, one blue, and one green. It then showed them three bigger versions of each.

"These are what we are looking for," Argent said. "Pansage and Simisage, Panpour and Simipour, and Pansear and Simisear. Now, they only evolve by stone, so the older evolutions won't be in the wild. But the younger ones will. They aren't rare but they aren't common either. I propose split up and each tackle one evolutionary line, like before on Route 1."

Amber nodded. "I've seen these at the ranch before. Their kind of fast, so watch out for that. And the species as a whole are obsessed with berries- Pansage plants berries, Panpour waters them, and Pansear cooks them with it's flame."

Argent nodded too. "Good to know. So we can use that to catch them."

Braedon grinned. "I already have a plan. I call Panpour."

Amber smiled. "Of course you do. I guess I have Pansear an Simisear. Vivillon's Powder and Tyrunt's Rock typing would be good for catching them."

"That leaves me with Pansage." Argent said. "I too have a plan."

"Bet mine's better." Braedon said. And with that, he ran into the forest with Sableye on his shoulder and Kecleon on his heels.

* * *

"Sableye..." _This is your plan?_

"Quiet, you." Braedon said. He looked at the Oran berry tree that took him hours to find. "This plan is awesome. Panpour loves watering berries, so it will be here. Eventually. We just have to wait."

Sableye groaned. So much for having fun. Panpour would never show up.

Sableye turned to Kecleon, who was poised and ready. Of course he was excited. He had a part in this plan. He got to catch Panpour with his tongue.

Sableye pictured Panpour wrapped up in Kecleon's tongue. The image alone was enough to male the Pokemon laugh. Then he imagined Kecleon sitting on a tree branch, dangling Panpour from his mouth and pulling him up and down like a yo-yo.

Sableye couldn't help it. He laughed.

"Sableye! Shush!" Braedon put a finger to his mouth. "If you don't, we'll never catch-"

He froze, his eyes widening. Sableye looked in the direction he was looking.

There was Panpour, happily inspecting the tree for any signs that it needed watering.

"Now!" Braedon whispered.

Kecleon's tongue shot over the bushes and to Panpour.

But Panpour turned at the last second and jumped to the left right as the attack struck. It hit the ground and Panpour giggled, then ran away into the forest.

"Damn it!" Braedon cursed. "Sableye, go!"

Sableye concentrated, and he felt like his body was melting as he turned into a shadow. He slithered across the grass towards Panpour, quickly gaining ground on the Pokemon.

Panpour jumped into a tree and started to climb, so Sableye followed it up the tree, still in his shadow form. He snaked upward, following Panpour up the tree.

They reached the top. _Nowhere to go._ Sableye thought.

But "no" just wasn't in Panpour's vocabulary. It jumped from it's branch onto the next tree. It spit it's tongue out at Sableye.

Sableye turned back into its solid form and shot a Nightshade at the branch it was standing on. It broke, and Panpour came crashing down.

Sableye jumped down from his perch and landed next to Panpour, who was knocked out.

Braedon ran to them. "You did it!" Braedon yelled. "Nice! Now we just have to catch it..."

He pulled out a Pokeball and threw it at Panpour. It rocked thrice before a final click.

"Sable!" Sableye cried. They both did a dance.

* * *

"Look Tyrunt!" Amber exclaimed to her partner. "Some Pecha Berries!"

Tyrunt looked at the pink berries hanging from a large tree. "Ty?" _Can_ _I have one?_

"We need these to lure out Pansear." Amber said. She tried to pick one, but they were out of reach. "Huh. I guess I need help... Tauros!" she called out Tauros, who appeared in a flash of light.

"Taur!" Hey.

"I need your help." Amber said. She climbed on Tauros' back and began to pick the berries.

She handed one to Tauros, who promptly ate it, then threw one to Tyrunt. He couldn't help but grin as the sweet taste hit his lips.

Amber picked a handful of berries and got down. The three of them began to head threw the forest, Amber sitting on Tauros' back so she could rest her feet. They had been walking for hours, after all.

Tyrunt declined Amber's offer to ride. He wasn't tired yet- unlike human Amber, he was used to much harder physical exertion than hours of walking.

That's how long they had been out there. A few hours. They had been picking berries and putting them in piles, then sending Vivillon to fly over and check on each pile. With luck, a the Pansear would find a pile.

Tyrunt looked up. Still no sign of his new team member.

Tyrunt may not of been getting tired, he was getting bored. He didn't have Amber's infinite patience. He wanted results now.

Tyrunt kept walking, staring at the Pokemon he passed. He had an idea.

Tyrunt approached a Fletchling and asked it if it had seen a Pansear. It hadn't. He continued to ask Pokemon as he walked, always getting the same results.

Talking to Pokemon was easy. Tyrunt _liked_ talking to Pokemon and people. Unlike his partner (or maybe because of her), he was outgoing and sociable.

Tyrunt finally found what he was looking for when he approached a Scatterbug on the ground. "Scatter?" _Hello?_

 _"_ Ty-Ty-runt." _Excuse me, miss. H_ _ave you seen a Pansear come by?_ Tyrunt asked.

The Scatterbug shook his head. "Scatterbug. Bug, bug. Scatter." _Not today. But I know of one._

 _"_ Tyrunt?" _You do?_ _What do you know about her? Please tell me._

Scatterbug nodded. "Scatter. Scat, scatter." _She's really nice. Offers us berries_ _and everything._

 _"_ Tyrunt-ty." _Do you know anything else?_

"Scatter, scat. Scat, scat, bug." _J_ _ust that she lives in the tree near the big moss boulder. You might find her there._

 _"_ Tyrunt! Tyrunt!" _I remember passing that on the way here!_ _Thank you so much! This is really important to me and my friends._

 _"_ Scatter!" _Don't mention it._

Tyrunt ran back to Amber and Tauros. "Tyrunt! Ty!" _C'mon!_

"Huh?" Amber said. Tyrunt ran the other way. "He wants to show us something! Follow him, Tauros!"

Tyrunt ran through the forest, dodging trees and Pokemon left and right.

He saw the moss rock and skidded to a stop.

Amber did the same behind him. "What's up, Tyrunt? What did you want to show me?"

Tyrunt looked around. Where was the tree?

As if on cue, Pansear emerged from it's tree to the right of the rock.

"Pansear?" _Hello? Visitors?_

"Tyrunt!" Amber shouted. "How did you know that it would be here?"

Tyrunt just grinned. "Ty-Ty!" _You're Welcome._

"Pansear?" _Would you two like some dinner?_

"Tyrunt, ty." _Yes please. And we'd like to ask you a favor._

* * *

Honedge were notorious for sucking the life out of those who used them. What they weren't notorious for? Loyalty.

But that's what Braedon's Honedge was. Loyal. He would follow his Partner into battle no matter the reason, whether it was to capture an insane amount of Pokemon or fight a Pokemon he would probably lose against (both of which Honedge had done that week).

Honedge wouldn't give up, not as long as Argent didn't want him to.

Argent led Honedge threw the forest, clutching Pansage's Pokeball in his hand. Catching it was relatively easy- Honedge and Klefki had just floated above the trees and scouted for Pansage, then got Argent when they saw one. Argent then proceeded to stop it with confuse ray, and it knocked itself out.

To be honest, Honedge suspected that Argent was disappointed. He had mused aloud about strategies he could use in the fight, excitedly reviewing possible ways the fight could go.

Honedge followed along as Argent went to meet their companions. Honedge was not sure what to make of them. They were nice, but Argent didn't seem to like them. Didn't that mean that he should not like them either?

Honedge was so lost in thought, that he didn't notice the buzzing sound until Argent pointed it out.

"Be very quiet." Argent instructed. We're near a Beedrill's nest."

Honedge would have gulped had he been human. Everyone knew of Beedrill. Of their temper, their ferocity, of how dangerous they were in numbers. So finding a nest was enough to make anyone gulp.

But Honedge could not, biologically, gulp. Instead, he began to back up slowly with Argent.

If he were human, his heart would have stopped like his body did when he bumped into something.

"Bzzzz." Honedge didn't turn around.

"Run!" Argent yelled. They took off, Honedge careful not to leave his much slower master.

Behind them, the buzzing became louder.

Honedge turned around for a brief second, and nearly fainted. At least ten Beedrill were following them. Honedge could tell they were furious.

Suddenly, Argent stopped. Honedge saw that they had reached a river.

"Nowhere to go." Argent muttered. He looked at Honedge. "Honedge, you can float across. Go."

If Honedge were human, he would have shook his head at such an unthinkable action. But instead he moved to shield Argent from the upcoming Beedrill.

The action caused Argent to stumble back. He grabbed Honedge to stop himself from falling, but instead they both fell into the water.

The river current grabbed hold of him- or maybe that was Argent. Whatever the case, the current pulled them along, away from the Beedrill, who did not follow for fear of wetting their wings.

 _Of course._ Honedge thought as the water pulled him along.

It was definitely Argent holding him. The current of the water became weaker, giving Honedge a break to survey his surroundings. He could feel Argent holding onto his handle. Honedge sent out a silent prayer to Arceus that Argent was smart enough to not grab his tassel.

Argent pulled himself and Honedge out of the water roughly. Argent spit out water.

"You saved me." Argent said quietly. "I told you to run, and instead you shielded me. You saved my life, Honedge."

"Honedge, edge." _Of course. You are my master._

Argent smiled for the first time that day.

* * *

Amber pulled Argent into a bone-crushing hug. "You could have died."

Argent sat as still as a stone, not sure how to react. He settled with awkwardly doing nothing at all until she released him.

Braedon was staring at him with wide eyes. He too had been worried. "Dude, you sure your okay?"

Argent nodded. "I'm fine. I just fell in the river."

Braedon snorted. "You 'just' fell in the river? You make it sound like drowning is no big deal."

"I didn't drown, I'm right here." Argent said calmly.

"You could of." Braedon retorted.

"Could have." Argent corrected.

"What?"

You said 'could of '," Argent said. "When it should be could have."

Braedon didn't speak to him for the rest of the night.

* * *

A/N:

So, that was some filler. Hmm. Not sure how I feel about writing filler. I guess it's not filler if they catch Pokemon on their list. Whatever.

Also, I decided to have this chapter be from the Pokemon's perspective. No real reason why, except I wanted to portray their personalities more. I'm kinda sad I didn't get to work Tauros and Klefki into this chapter. But there will be more, so don't worry.

So, review? Anyone? No one? *Sighs*


	9. Chapter 9: Breloom

Argent disliked many things. Dolls, shaggy hair, Ledyba, peppermints, being corrected, all of those irked him. But he didn't voice these much. As his father constantly told him, complaining got nothing done. However, certain things irked him to the point in which he couldn't help complain. Those things were: Braedon, Ledyba, and worst of all, camping.

"It's only for a night." Amber assured him once she returned ftom picking berries. She carried them with her shirt held up like a bag.

Argent ignored her, his focus mostly on the tent pieces in front of him. He stuck pole a into connector b, but found that it didn't fit. He nearly cried out in frustration.

"Until we have to camp again." Braedon said. "Which will be often."

"Braedon, don't be petty." Amber chided. Argent noted that she was much more stern with him then others- she never spoke to him like that, and she was nothing but respectful to her parents. Maybe she only felt that comfortable around Braedon?

"Here, let me." Braedon took the poles from him. He then grabbed another pole and connected it to pole a.

"How did you-"

"There are three tents." Braedon explained. "You were trying to connect pole a of one tent to pole b of another."

Argent scowled. "Did you know that this whole time?"

Braedon smiled evilly. "Maybe."

Argent really hated camping, and really, really hated Braedon.

After Argent got the three tents set up, they ate a dinner of berries and roasted hotdogs on a stick (Argent just ate the berries and a protein bar). As Argent ate, he got to "enjoy" listening to Amber and Braedon play a game of Who Would Win.

"Steven would decimate Alder." Braedon insisted. "Steven isn't just a Pokemon Trainer. He's an artist." Braedon held his hand out, as if he were holding his argument in his palm and were presenting it to her. Braedon definitely has a penchant for talking with his hands. Argent noted.

"You just think he's cuter." Amber teased.

"While that may be true," Braedon said, "you can't deny that Steven is the better strategist. I mean, we all saw the way he beat down Iris at the World Championship last year. That was clever."

Amber swallowed a handful of berries whole. (Argent was pretty sure she didn't even chew.) "Steven's strategy was good, but it relied too much on Iris slipping up. And his other battes were won because he relies on his powerhouse Metagross. But Alder's main is Volcarona, a Bug/Fire type. Both types have an advantage over Metagross. And Alder's Pokemon are a higher level than Steven's."

"That's assuming Alder can drag his wheelchair to the field." Braedon retorted smartly.

Amber pushed him gently. "That's mean, Brae."

Braedon grinned shamelessly. "It's true. He's gotten old. But Steven is still in his prime. Young, physically fit, sharp, well-dressed, hot-"

"Careful," Amber poked him in the ribs. "Your crush is showing."

"Pssh, yeah he is." Braedon said. "He's by far the hottest champion."

"You're forgetting Lance." Amber muttered with a blush, as if admitting she thought a boy was cute was an extremely embarrassing act.

"On purpose. Dude's got nothing on Steven." Braedon insisted. They began to discuss the pros and cons of both Champions.

Argent got up then, annoyed by the direction their conversation went. It had been interesting until then.

Argent walked up to his tent and crawled inside. He loathed the thing. Loathed putting it together, loathed being in it. It was small, cramped, and uncomfortable. Argent missed his bed- no, now he missed the Pokemon Center bed. How the mighty have fallen.

Argent sulked himself to sleep, a new low for him.

* * *

It wasn't that the intruder woke him up- he wasn't asleep. He had been, for about an hour, until he was awoken by how uncomfortable he was. So he just sat awake, trying to slip back into the uneasy sleep he had been in.

That's when he heard the intruder.

At first, he dismissed the sounds. But then he heard breathing, so he knew someone was awake.

Argent peaked out of his tent warily, his hand wrapped around Honedge's Pokeball.

There was a girl. The barely risen sun and violet sky allowed Argent to see her clearly. She wore no shoes, just black pants and a blue work out bra. Her long brown hair was in a ponytail. She was well muscled, and had six pokeballs around her belt. Her back was to him.

She had a backpack in her hands and was rummaging through it. She pulled out a violet Pokedex. Braedon's Pokedex.

Argent kept staring at her, wondering what to do. He began to go over his options in his head. If he brought out a Pokemon, the light would alert her to his presence.

But if he didn't, she'd get away with his Pokedex.

Argent decided to tackle her from behind. He began to slowly creep out of the tent.

Argent kept staring as he moved, noticing that she had to other Pokedexes in her hands. Amber and Braedon's Pokedexes. That seemed to be the only things she was taking.

Argent crept forward, crouched low. He was close now.

"Step any closer and I destroy these." The girl said without looking back.

Argent froze, the stood up straight. He held up Honedge's Pokeball , but the girl spun around and kicked it out of his hand before he could do anything.

She grabbed his extended arm and twisted it, forcing him to turn around so his arm was pinned to his back. Pain shot through his body.

"What's going on?" Amber emerged through the flap of her tent. Braedon did the same.

"Let him go!" Braedon yelled.

Argent felt something press against his neck. "Move forward and I slice his throat." She hissed.

Argent felt his heart accelerate. He tried to think of a plan, but he couldn't concentrate with the knife against his throat and his arm twisted behind his back.

Argent scanned the area, desperately looking for an idea to get him out of his present situation. He noticed that in her hurry, she had dropped the Pokedexes.

"What do you want?" Braedon asked. "W-we have money. Just let him go."

"Baby, I've got money." The girl said. "What I want is for you three to go back to sleep. Breloom, Spore!"

A tall green and brown Pokemon with red fists like boxing gloves jumped from the trees and opened it's mouth. Green dust shot towards Amber and Braedon.

"Cover your mouth!" Argent yelled. But it was too late. They collapsed to the ground.

"You could've poisoned them!" Argent yelled. Spore was a random move- it had an equal chance of paralyzing, poisoning, or knocking out it's victims.

"Who cares?" she repeated. "I couldn't have them calling out their Pokemon or anything."

She let go of his arm and removed her knife, then pushed him to the ground. In a flash, Breloom stood over him.

"Spore again!" The girl yelled.

Breloom opened it's mouth- then was promptly knocked backward by a dark object.

Not object. Pokemon. "Sableye?" Argent asked.

"Sable!" He cried. Sableye sure did seem proud of himself.

"Were you hiding in my bag again?" Argent asked as he retrieved Honedge's Pokeball and the Pokedexes from the ground.

"Breloom, Drain Punch!" The girl yelled.

Breloom got up and jumped forward to punch Argent. Sableye intercepted him mid-attack with a Zen Headbutt.

Breloom stumbled back.

Argent held up Honedge's Pokeball. "Honedge, Aerial Ace!"

Honedge unsheathed its blade-like body and held the sheath with it's tassel. It then slashed at Breloom.

Argent had always loved the way Honedge's attacks looked- like it was being held by an invisible combatant and wielded like a sword.

Breloom caught the blade between it's two fists, then threw it back.

 _How did it catch that? A_ rgent thought. _That a Flying type attack should be four times effective on a Grass/Fighting type like Breloom._ "That's impossible." Argent said aloud.

The girl smirked. "My Breloom is much too strong to worry about Type advantages. He's apart of Team Hallow."

"Team Hallow?" Argent asked, taking a step back.

She grinned like a maniac. "Yes, Team Hallow! My name is Mulan of the Iron Fist, and I'm an Arch Bishop of The Hallowed Church. Now hand over the Pokedexes and your Tainted Pokemon."


	10. Chapter 10: Prodigies vs The Iron Fist

Argent couldn't think of a time when he had been in serious trouble before he began his journey. The closest thing that came to mind was when he got a B on his report card and had tried to hide it from Father.

But _after_ he started his journey, his life had been nothing but trouble. He had been (nearly) run over, attacked by a Talonflame, chased into a river, and was currently being attacked by a trainer way above his level, one who wasn't afraid to attack him directly.

Mulan grinned at him. "You can't win, cutie. I'm a Level 5 trainer."

Argent took a step back. He had to keep her talking long enough to formulate a plan. "A whole five Levels?" Argent tried to imitate Braedon's signature sardonic tone, but it came out sounding more deadpan than anything. "Wow."

"Is that sarcasm?" she asked in an amused tone. "It's hard to tell. You look so serious. Not to mention handsome. If we had met under other circumstances, I might have considered going out for drinks."

Argent sweatdropped. "Wait - what?" his eyes widened.

She sighed. "And you're so adorable when flustered! Such a fuckin' tragedy. Oops. Excuse my language."

Despite the current situation, Argent couldn't help but stare at the girl in bemusement. ( _ **A/N: Bemusement does not mean amusement. It means confusion. Now back to our scheduled programming**_ )

"W-who _are_ you?" he wondered aloud.

Mulan grinned wickedly and flexed her muscles. "Your worst nightmare, baby. But enough foreplay. Let's get it on."

Beside Argent, Sableye and Honedge tensed. They were ready to fight, even against a Pokemon over their level.

But Argent didn't have a plan yet. Well he did, but it was a to stall until a better plan came along. "W-wait. Who says we have to fight?"

Mulan stopped. "You did when you attacked me." she purred. "Not that I mind."

"I-I know w-what I did." Argent said shakily. He cleared his throat. "But I thought you were a danger to me."

"I am." Mulan smiled cheekily.

Argent thought of Braedon. Of how he flirted with the guys they met around town and in Pokemon Centers. The winks, the flattery, the showing off. That's what Argent needed to do. Flirt. And truth be told, Argent had spent time analyzing Braedon. He knew how it worked. You make the other person feel good about themselves, while giving them a good impression of yourself. Easy. Right?

"Oh, I can tell." Argent said, trying to keep his voice steady. "A strong, confident girl like you?"

"Flattery won't save you." Mulan gestured to Breloom. "Breloom, use-"

"Wait! We don't have to fight!" Argent held up his hands defensively. "You can have the Pokedexes!"

"Sable!?" Sableye said in surprise. Even Honedge wasn't sure he heard right.

"Really?" Mulan raise an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "You'd part with them that easily."

Argent shrugged, a gesture he was not used to. His Father had always hated shrugging, so Argent had trained himself not to shrug. "They are not worth my life. I'll just say I tried to chase you and you got away. Besides, I'm wealthy. I can afford to pay Professor Sycamore back."

Mulan looked put off. "Wait- you're serious?"

Argent nodded. "Completely. Here's your Pokedexes, sweetheart."

Argent stepped forward, but something caught bumped into his side. Honedge.

"Stop." Argent commanded. "I have to." he told the Pokemon.

Argent walked up to Mulan and put the Pokedexes in her hands. He then backed up again.

"See? Now we can both be on our way. Unless..."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Unless what?"

"Unless you want my number?" Argent asked.

Mulan laughed. "Wait, what? Your number?"

Argent nodded. "Yeah. I want to call you in the future. Why wouldn't I want to call a cute girl like you?"

She giggled. "Sure. Just tell me your digits."

"Um... Sorry. I just got a new number. Sableye, bring my Holocaster to Mulan. And don't be a _thief_ \- " Argent put special emphasis on the word. "-and steal any stuff. Just do as your told."

Sableye seemed to get it. He zoomed to Braedon's pack, brought out his Holocaster, and zoomed to Mulan, placing it in her hands. It all happened in a few seconds.

"Okay," Mulan said. She looked positively giddy. "I'll put my number in."

"On the contact list, put your number under 'fool who just lost her Pokeballs and the Pokedexes'."

"Excuse me?" she cried, before realizing that both were gone.

Sableye grinned and showed off his new trophies: the Pokedexes and Mulan's Pokemon belt, with five Pokeballs on it. He set them down and spit his tongue at Mulan.

"Give those back!"Mulan squealed. "Breloom, Drain Punch!"

Breloom jumped forward, twisting it's glowing green arm back as it did.

"Dodge!" Argent yelled, before realizing Breloom was aiming for him. He jumped out of the way, landing on his stomach away from where Breloom landed.

"Mach Punch!" Mulan growled.

Argent braced himself, but no pain came. He turned over and saw that Honedge was unsheathed and had blocked the punch with his blade. Fighting moves didn't hurt Ghost Types like Honedge.

"Close range Shadowball!" Argent yelled. A ball of dark energy formed in front of Breloom's face, right above the point of Honedge's body. The attack knocked Breloom across the field, away from Argent.

"Sableye, Zen Headbutt!" Argent yelled. Sableye became wrapped in a silver aura and charged forward.

"Shadow Punch!" Mulan growled.

Breloom's fist became swarthed in a purple aura, and he used it to send Sableye flying back.

"Sable!" he cried, landing in front of Argent.

"Sableye!" Argent cried. The Pokemon lifted himself up slowly, then collapsed.

"Now, use Energy Ball!" Mulan commanded.

"Honedge, Aerial Ace!" Argent cried desperately.

Honedge swung and sliced the ball if green energy into two halfs that flew in opposite directions. They hit the ground and created a cloud of dust.

"Now, Aerial Ace again!"

Honedge surged forward into the dust. All Argent could see was the silhouette of Honedge slashing at Breloom.

"Bre!" he cried as he was knocked backward. The dust cleared.

Breloom was holding it's arm, glaring at Honedge.

"Finish him, Breloom!" Mulan yelled. "Make him regret toying with my emotions! Drain Punch!"

"Autotomize!" Argent commanded. Honedge began to glow.

Breloom sprung forward, but Honedge moved like a blur, dodging the punch.

"T-try again, Breloom. Don't stop!" Breloom shot forward again, but Honedge cut soundlessly through the air, effortlessly dodging the attack.

Argent smirked. "Autotomize increases speed. You can't hit us."

"Spore!" Mulan commanded. Breloom sent a cloud of yellow dust toward Honedge.

"Dodge!" Argent yelled. "Go up!"

Honedge flew upwards, above the dust.

Argent smiled gloatingly. "Metal Sound"

"Loom!" Breloom cried as a powerful sound wave hit it's ears. Argent wasn't sure how it felt (he couldn't hear it, because the waves were on a frequency humans can't hear), but it must have hurt, because Brellom looked angry.

"Now, Shadow Ball!" Argent yelled.

Honedge didn't move.

"Honedge?" Argent yelled.

"It must have inhaled some of the Spore. It's paralyzed!" Mulan yelled triumphantly. "Now, use Energy Ball!"

Breloom shot an Energy Ball at the still frozen Honedge.

"Move!" Argent yelled. But the attack landed, throwing Honedge into the trees.

"Honedge!" Argent yelled, running to his friend.

"Breloom!" Breloom jumped and landed in front of Argent, between him and Honedge.

Argent took a step back. This was it. He was out of Pokemon and plans.

"I'll take these." Mulan said, snatching her Pokemon and the Pokedexes from the ground.

"Now, what to do with you..." Mulan put a hand to her chin.

Argent stepped farther back. "Let me go and leave with the Pokedexes?" he suggested.

Mulan shook her head. "No way. You had your chance. Now you'll pay for leading me on! Breloom, Mach Punch!"

Argent jumped to the side as the punch came, landing a few feet away from his backpack. He scrambled away, grabbing his backpack as he did.

"Get him!" Mulan yelled.

Argent frantically pulled a Pokeball out of his backpack and threw it. "Klefki, Go!"

Breloom stopped and stared in horror when a large figure appeared in a flash of light.

"Talon!" Talonflame screamed.

Argent sweatdropped. That wasn't Klefki. "Uh... Talonflame, use Flame Charge!"

Talonflame shot forward and began to glow. It rammed into Breloom and flew into the air, taking Breloom with it.

"That's Brave Bird!" Mulan yelled. "Not- ahh!" she yelled as Argent brought his backpack down on her head. Full of books and supplies, it easily knocked the girl out.

"Bre!" Argent looked up in time to see Breloom falling from the sky. It landed in front of him, creating a cloud of dust.

"Talonflame!" Argent turned his head, then nearly passed out. Talonflame was now heading straight for him!

"R-return!" Argent yelled, pressing the button on the Pokeball.

Talonflame kept flying, only disappearing right as he was about to hit Argent.

Argent stumbled back, landing on his butt. He stayed like that for a few minutes, until Braedon woke and groggily asked him what happened.

Argent didn't answer him for a whole ten minutes.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Reader question time! Should Talonflame be a main part of Argent's team? Review to answer!**_


	11. Chapter 11: Austin

Hearing how Argent tricked Mulan almost made up for getting knocked out, in Braedon's eyes.

"I can't... Believe... You flirted with her." Braedon wheezed. "I didn't even know you knew how to talk to girls!"

Argent blushed slightly. "I did what I had to."

They were in the Santalune City Pokemon Center, hours after the attack. Braedon had called the police, and they carted the three of them plus their attacker to the city. They then were questioned for the next few hours, giving them enough time to heal their Pokemon and for Argent to catch the others up on what happened. Amber had just left to be interrogated.

Braedon wiped a tear from his eye. "Nevertheless, I'm proud of you."

"Great," Argent muttered. "My life is complete."

"Excuse me," a voice behind them said. They turned around. A woman with teal colored hair and a police uniform was escorting an incredibly pale Amber their way.

"You're free to go." the teal haired police woman, Officer Jenny, said sternly. "Your story checks out."

"What about Mulan?" Argent asked apprehensively.

Officer Jenny focused her gaze on Argent like he was the criminal. "She has been apprehended. Like I said, you are free to go."

She turned and walked away, making sure to give them a disdainful look as she turned.

"Wow, chilly." Braedon said, raising his voice so Officer Jenny could hear him. "What a bitch." she didn't turn.

Argent nodded. "That certainly was an unpleasant few seconds." he agreed.

Braedon noticed that Amber was still pale. "Hey, you okay?" he knew that Amber hated being questioned the last time, but now she looked even worse.

"I'm fine." she muttered. Braedon highly doubted that, but he knew from experience not to push her unless she was ready.

"Okay." Braedon said. "Moping time over. Let's hit this city."

"Huh?" Amber asked.

Braedon pulled both of them to their feet. "C'mon! We're free, so let's go explore!"

* * *

Scarlett hated this stupid wig. Not only was blue not her color, but the wig was itchy. You'd think someone as high up as her wouldn't half to suffer such cheap props, but apparently not.

Scarlett walked through the police station, dodging people as she did. She approached the holding cell.

The guard immediately stopped slouching. "Officer Jenny?"

"I'm here to transfer the prisoner to a new holding cell." "Jenny" told the guard.

He frowned. "Already?"

"Jenny" nodded. "She is a highly dangerous prisoner. It is best if she's moved quickly, before one of her associates tries to free her."

He tipped his hat. "Don't have to tell me twice. She gave quite a shiner to one of our cops before she was apprehended."

"Jenny" nodded. "Yes. Like I said, she's dangerous. Now let me have her."

He opened the cell and led the girl out. Scarlett grabbed her and yanked her forward. She led her out of the building and to a police car. Mulan didn't fight at all.

As soon as they were in the car, Mulan sat up. "Is that you, Scarlett?"

Scalett rolled her eyes. "Of course, you twit."

"And the other officers in the car behind us?" Mulan asked.

"The Repented." Scarlett answered. "All members of the Church."

Mulan smiled. "So, we're not making the same mistake we made with Masa, now are we?"

Scarlett nodded. "It's too late to free her and her Bishops. We needed to get you, or else we'd be down too many members. You do realize that your being punished for this, right?"

Mulan grinned. "And you realize that without Masa, that threat isn't a threat at all."

Scarlett just sighed.

* * *

"Whatcha think?" Braedon asked, doing an exaggerated pose to show off his new outfit: a purple dress shirt and purple pants with a ruby red tie. Atop his head sat new sunglasses with silver shades. "It's my Sableye outfit."

"Yeah, I can tell." Amber answered. She also wore a new outfit- a yellow camisole and jeans, with her favorite cowboy boots. "It's pretty cool, I guess."

Braedon considered whether Amber was ready to talk to him, then decided she was. He raised an eyebrow.

"You okay? You're not still upset about the interrogation, right?"

Amber shook her head. "No. I'm over it..."

"Then what's wrong?" Braedon asked.

Amber sat down on a bench, and Braedon sat beside her. They were out shopping, trying on clothes in a boutique on Liberty Avenue. "It's Argent. He ditched us."

"So?" Braedon scoffed. "It's not like he enjoyed our company before."

"I know." Amber said. "But I'm worried about him. That girl attacked him and he's acting like he's fine."

"Maybe he is." Braedon replied, pulling a rock from the ground and giving it to Sableye. He promptly stuck the rock in his mouth and started chewing.

"How can he be? He nearly died twice in two days!" Amber cried.

"C'mon, Am. Stop worrying about him." Braedon said. "It's not our concern. Besides, we have places to be. Their's a gemstone shop on this street, and I wanna buy some for Sableye. You know how much he likes amethyst."

"Sable!" Sableye agreed.

Amber scooped Tyrunt into her arms. "I guess you're right.

"Yay!" Braedon cheered. "Time to get you some amethyst." he told Sableye.

"Ty?" Tyrunt asked.

Amber smiled. "Yes Tyrunt, I'll get you some food too. How do cheese fries sound?"

"Ty-ty!" Tyrunt exclaimed.

* * *

Argent was almost scared to dial the number.

Which was ridiculous, considering all that he been through over the past two weeks. He had nearly died several times. Now he was worried about a simple conversation?

He forced himself to press enter on his Holocaster. It rang once before it was answered.

"Hello?" a deep, husky voice rang out. Argent grinned despite his nerves.

"Hey, Austin." Argent croaked out. "It's me."

"Argent?" Austin said. He gasped in surprise. "Is that you?"

Argent nodded, then realized that Austin couldn't see him. "Yeah, it's me." Argent said, feeling like a moron.

"Oh my Arceus!" he cried. "It is you."

Argent nearly chuckled. "That's what I said."

"Sorry. I'm just surprised to hear from you." he said the last sentence with some bitterness in his voice.

"Sorry." Argent said. "I-I didn't- I've just been really busy and- I'm sorry. I'll just go."

"No!" Austin cried. "Stay. It's not your fault. I know why you never call. You were just doing as you're told." he didn't say "like always ". That was implied.

"I really am sorry." Argent said. "Truly."

Austin laughed. "I know. You can stop apologizing."

They both went silent after that, as neither boy knew how to proceed. Finally, Austin said "So... Was their a reason you called?"

"Do I need a reason to call my brother?" Argent replied quickly.

"No, but I know you have one." Austin said shrewdly. So Argent told him about Mulan, then about nearly drowning, then Talonflame, then Rotom, then Team Hallow. Argent felt like each word was a weight being lifted from his body, allowing him to feel less constricted and more free.

"Wow." Austin said once Argent was done. "That's... Wow."

"Exactly."

"And you haven't told Dad?" Austin asked.

"No." Argent said quickly. "I don't want him to worry."

"Worry? Him?" Austin scoffed. "Whatever."

"He does worry about us." Argent said softly. "He just isn't good at showing it."

"Doesn't worry about me." Austin said angrily. "He hasn't called and he forbid you from calling. A plus parenting right there."

"Austin-"

"Look, I don't want to argue." Austin said. "It's not that big of a deal."

But it _was_ a big deal. Argent would never admit it, but he was worried that his father wouldn't care. That he would just go on with his life. That's why he didn't call his father, and that's why he called Austin. Because he wanted someone to worry about him.

So Argent let the issue drop, and the two of them spent the next hour talking about everytjing else- about the Pokemon Argent caught, about Austin's art classes, about anything but their father.

* * *

"Flo..." Floette said. Here, milady. She offered a pile of berries, lifting them with a Psychic attack.

Florges inspected the offering, then instructed her to put the berries with the other offerings.

The next subject, a shivering Skitty, gave Florges a toy that resembled it's own pink tail. "Skit skit." Skitty muttered. Here, milady.

Florges lift the toy and inspected it. "Florges." What... Is this?

"Skitty, skit, skit." it's a toy, milady.

"Florges!" I know what it is!

"Skitty!" I'm sorry! "Skitty-skit skit. Skitty." I just thought that you would like it- that it would make you happy-

"Florges!" Florges summoned thousands of leaves out of thin air, each a different color, which shot at Skitty like bullets. The poor Skitty was flung into the air, then fell to the ground.

It didn't get up.


	12. Chapter 12: An Army of Flowers!

Parterre way was obviously artificial, but that didn't make it any less aesthetically pleasing.

The route was dotted with flower gardens in regular intervals, each unique and spectacular. One was shades of pink and yellow and purple arranged to resenble a sunset. One group of flowers were arranged to resemble an eight colored rainbow coming out of a cloud. Then the next was a Pikachu head with cheeks made of roses.

In addition, it was a glorious day. Sunny, no clouds in the sky, and a perfect breeze to cool them off.

"It says here," Argent read as they walked by a garden that resembled a Pokeball, "That this route is famous for it's vibrant and creative gardens-"

"Yeah we can see that." Braedon said, picking a flower and putting it in Amber's hair.

"Braedon!" Amber scolded. She removed the flower from behind her ear and shoved it in her pocket. "Leave those alone!" Braedon just shrugged.

"-that are tended by the citizens of Santalune City and their Pokemon." Argent finished reading, then flipped to the next page of a Holo-Pamphlet he downloaded in Santalune. "It also says that the flowers are kept alive through the powers of the local and owned Flabèbè."

"Then the Flabèbè are probably off limits for catching." Amber guessed. "Since they tend to the flowers and stuff."

"Correct." Argent said. "Which is a shame. We need Flabèbè and it's evolutions for out list."

Braedon shrugged. "Flabèbè aren't exactly hard to find. We'll just catch them on a different route."

Argent nodded. "I have all the routes that they are native to mapped out."

"Of course you do." Braedon said.

"Brae, play nice." Amber chided.

"Yeah, I'll get right on that." Braedon replied. His Sableye snickered beside him.

"Braedon." Amber put her hands on her hips and faced him. Tyrunt imitated her stern expression and glared at Sableye.

"Tyrunt-ty!"

"Fine, fine." Braedon said. "Sorry Argent."

"Sable Sable!" Sableye exclaimed.

"Hey Argent," Amber said. He looked up from his Holocaster.

"Yes?"

"Don't you think Honedge would like to see the flowers too? And maybe Klefki?"

Argent shook his head. "I doubt they'd care about something like that."

"No." Braedon said. "That's how you feel. Don't project your emotions onto your Pokemon."

Argent sighed, the reached for their Pokeballs. "Fine. Go Honedge! Klefki!"

He threw the Pokeballs and the two steel types appeared in a flash of light.

Amber followed him by pulling out her Pokeballs. "Vivillon, Tauros, I choose you!"

Braedon did the same. "Kecleon, come on out!"

Three more flashes, and now the path was full of Pokemon.

Tauros immediately started grazing, so Amber had to stop him from eating flowers.

"Taur!" he complained. Kecleon and Sableye snickered and pointed at Tauros. Tauros snorted and glared at the two, promptly quieting them.

"Knock it off." Amber told them. "And you-" she glowered at Braedon. "Get away from those flowers!"

He picked another flower, then paused. "Um... Guys?"

"Braedon, put that down before you get us kicked out-"

"No, Amber forget about the flower! Just look!" he gestured around him.

"I fail to see what you're trying to show us." Argent said dryly.

"Doesn't anything seem off to you? Something missing?" Braedon asked them.

Braedon could almost see the gears turn in Argent and Amber's heads.

"All the Pokemon..." Amber said.

"There are none." Argent finished. "This route should be teaming with Pokemon."

"And people." Amber said. "This route leads to Lumoise City. A city like that attracts a lot of visitors."

Braedon inspected the flowers. "And the flowers look perfect."

"So?" Amber asked.

"So, that means Pokemon should be nearby. The flowers would attract them." Braedon said.

"And it also means that the flowers were tended to recently." Argent added.

"So the Pokemon and people cleared out recently." Amber put her hands on her hips. "Why?"

"Floette, Floe!"

They all turned around. Floating behind them were an army of different colored flowers.

No. Not flowers, Braedon realized. Floating Pokemon holding flowers. These white pokemon were smaller than the flowers they held, and had triangular green tails.

"Flo!" they yelled together. Thousands of leaves began to form behind the army of Pokemon, each a different color.

"You had to ask." Braedon told Amber.

"That's Magical Leaf!" Argent yelled.

"Yeah, we know!" Braedon replied tersely. He braced himself and felt his pulse quicken.

"Vivillon, Gust!" Amber cried.

"Fairy Wind, Klefki!" Argent yelled.

The two Pokemon surged forward and created two gusts of wind -one silver, the other bright pink- just as the Floette and Flabèbè shot their flurry of leaves.

The two attacks collided in midair. The wind flung the leaves back at the Floette/Flabèbè army, knocking most of them back.

"Now, while their weakened!" Amber declared. "Rock Slide!"

"Tyrunt!" Tyrunt yelled as he opened his jaw.

Rocks formed above the swarm and came crashing down. The Floette amd Flabèbè floated out of the way with ease.

"They're to small and fast for that." Argent said.

Amber nodded. "I know." Braedon knew that she did- she just wanted to see how fast.

"Their fast and agile, so we have to use moves they can't dodge." Braedon said. "But Fairy Wind isn't very effective, and Gust is too weak."

The army began to ready another Magical Leaf. The good thing about their numbers was that they had to wait until each Pokemon was done creating leaves.

The bad thing was how many leaves they could create. Thousands, it seemed like to Braedon.

"Gust!"

"Fairy Wind!"

The two attacks collided once more, but this time the wind didn't push back the leaves nearly as well.

"Guys! Buy us some time to strategize!" Braedon yelled. "Tyrunt, Rock Throw! Homedge and Sableye, Shadow Ball! Keep them unorganized!"

The three jumped forward and began to shoot at the army. The army scattered.

"I have an idea." Argent said, his eyes on the Pokemon. "It's not a good one."

"It's better than any of mine." Braedon said. "What is it?"

Argent pulled out another Pokeball. "Amber, keep Tauros ready. We're gonna need his brute strength if my plan goes wrong."

Amber put a hand on Tauros' back. "Right."

Argent threw the ball in the air. "Talonflame, go!"

The Pokeball opened, and and a Talonflame emerged in a flash of light.

"What the hell?!" Braedon yelled.

"Talonflame, use Razor Wind!" Argent yelled.

Talonflame turned to look at Argent- then promptly shot a jet of flames at him.

Argent jumped to the side and the flame missed by a hair.

"Not me! Them!" Argent yelled, pointing to the swarm.

Talonflame flew up defiantly, completely ignoring all of them.

Argent sighed. "Never mind. Return." he tried to return it, but before he could it was struck by a stray Shadow Ball.

"Talon!" it dodged the red beam of light coming out of the Pokeball and swooped down towards the battling Pokemon.

"Ah! Return, Honedge!" Argent cried, returning Honedge before Talonflame could hit him. Amber and Braedon did the same.

Talonflame turned to Argent. "Talon!"

"Shit!" Braedon shouted, a feeling of dread creeping up in his throat.

Talonflame opened her beak, and a fire ball started to form inside it.

"Run!" Amber yelled.

But they didn't have to. A flurry of leaves hit the back of Talonflame's head.

Talonflame turned her head slowly and glared at the Floette that attacked. It definitely seemed to regret it's action.

"Flame!" Talonflame surged forward, her body engulfed in flames, and began to attack the army.

"At least it's listening..." Argent muttered.

"You call that listening?" Braedon cried.

"It's not working." Amber said. "The Floette and Flabèbè are dodging everything. Wait. I have an idea! Vivillon, fly above and use Powder!"

Vivillon fluttered above the fight and began to shake it's wings. Green powder began to fall onto the quarreling Pokemon.

The second the powder hit Talonflame it exploded in a burst of green fire that engulfed the Floette, Flabèbè and Talonflame.

When the smoke cleared, Talonflame and the Floette and Flabèbè were passed out on the ground.

"Return, Talonflame." Argent said.

Braedon marched over to him and spun him around so they were facing each other. "Mind telling us what the fuck you were thinking! Why do you still have Talonflame?"

Argent glared at Braedon's hand on his shoulder. "I'm raising it."

"You're what!?" Amber cried.

"Raising Talonflame." Argent said. "It's powerful and will make a great asset to my team once it's trained-"

"Not if it kills us first!" Braedon shouted.

Argent pushed his hand away. "I can handle her."

"No, you can't." Braedon insisted.

"Guys!" Amber interrupted. She stepped in between them and pushed the two apart. "We have other things to deal with, remember?"

"This isn't over." Braedon growled. He turned and walked towards the fallen Floette. "Come on. We need to catch these and take them to the Pokemon Center, and maybe find out why they attacked us." he reached in his bag and threw out a few Pokeballs. Amber and Argent did the same, and soon all the Floette and Flabèbè were caught.

"At least we know why this route is cleared." Amber said as they put the Pokeballs away. "Wild Pokemon are attacking everyone." she returned Tauros and Vivillon.

Braedon returned Kecleon, and Argent returned Klefki. "Let's go." Braedon said.

"Wait." Amber said. She walked toward the charred garden that the Floette and Flabèbè were floating above. She approached the line of tree behind the charred mess.

"What now?" Braedon asked.

"They attacked us for a reason." Amber said. "And they didn't move from this spot when attacking. You don't think they were guarding something, do you?" she walked into the trees. "C'mon guys."

Braefon and Argent followed her. "So you think they didn't want us to go into the forest?"

"It's worth a shot." Amber replied.

They crept forward, each with a Pokeball in hand just in case another attack came.

"Look!" Argent said after a while. He hid behind a tree and pointed.

Amber and Braedon copied his actions. In the distance, their was a line of Pokemon leading deeper into the forest.

"What is that?" Amber wondered.

Braedon held up a Pokeball. "One way to find out. Amber, call out Vivillon."

Amber complied, and Braedon called out Kecleon.

"What are we doing?" Argent asked.

"We're not doing anything." Braedon said, rummaging in his backpack. "Our Pokemon are going to sneak over there and find out what's going on. Kecleon can disappear and Vivillon can fly, so they're ideal for this mission."

"Mission?"

Braedon brought out two black headbands. "These have cameras attached to them. We'll be able to see what they see."

"Braedon, I don't complement you nearly enough." Amber said.

Braedon clicked his tongue. "No one does."

* * *

Kecleon crept forward silently, watching the line of Pokemon. Each one of them were carrying a different object. Most had berries, but some had random objects like toys. One Ralts even had a bouquet.

"Rall?" _What are you giving Milady?_ it asked the Pokemon in front of it (a Budew).

"Bububu!" _A performance_! Budew said.

"Ral-rall?" A what?

"Budew, dewdew." _I'm going to sing!_

Kecleon couldn't help it. He snickered.

Both Pokemon turned and looked straight at the spot where Kecleon was standing.

Oh no... Kecleon thought.

* * *

 _ **A/N: What is going on? Will Kecleon be okay? Find out next chapter!**_

 _ **Reader question time! What should Braedon's third Pokemon be? Remember, he specializes in Dark types but isn't opposed to other Pokemon.**_


	13. Chapter 13: Amphrosia

_Oh no..._ Kecleon thought.

"Ral-ral. Ralts. Ral." _I know you're_  
 _there._ _I can see your stripe._

Kecleon realized that he was cornered. He could probably take Ralts and Budew, but his chances weren't good if the rest of the Pokemon in line attacked too.

Kecleon materialized.

"Budew-dew." _What are you doing?_ Budew asked. "Dew-Budew, bubu." _Don't be shy. Get in line._

"Ral ral ral." _Milady will accept whatever you offer her. So long as it's worthy of her._

Kecleon gulped. "Kec kec." _It is._

So Kecleon got in line behind them, adjusting his camera. Ralts asked him what it was and Budew asked if it was his gift for whoever milady was. Kecleon just replied that it was a secret.

A line formed behind Kecleon. He felt his chances of getting away get lower with each Pokemon that joined the queue.

Too soon, Kecleon was approaching a cave. Flanked by two trees, the line of Pokemon disappeared inside the cave.

First Ralts went in, then walked out happily and none worse for wear. It all went to hell when Budew went in.

From outside the cave, Kecleon could hear Budew singing and the sound of it's tiny feet hitting the cave floor. Kecleon could imagine the performance in his head. Despite his earlier giggling, he found the idea rather cute-

Then Budew came flying out of the cave and slammed into a tree.

"Ral!" Ralts ran to it's friend, as did the pokemon standing behind Kecleon. Ralts lifted Budew slightly, cradling his head in her arms.

Kecleon ran to him as well, pushing through the crowd that had formed. _Please don't be-_

"Budew..." Budew muttered. Kecleon sighed in relief.

"Florges!" _Next!_ A thunderous voice rang out, causing Kecleon to jump.

"Ral ral. Ral ral Ralts." _You'd better go._ Ralts said to Kecleon. She still held Budew. _Milady will be angry if she's kept waiting._

"Kecleon!?" _Milady?! "_ Kecleon-Kec kec?" _How can you still call her that? After what she did to your friend?_

Ralts looked him in the eye. "Ralts. Ral ral ral." _Milady must not be kept waiting._

Kecleon wanted to argue more, but before he could he noticed that Ralts had stopped paying attention and was looking in horror at something behind Kecleon. Kecleon turned.

Standing- no, _floating_ \- above the crowd was a giant flower. One with a face. Kecleon would of laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation if not for how menacing the golden flower with a face looked. His heart sped up.

"Florges." It said. _Why do you keep me waiting?_

* * *

Braedon leaned forward toward the screen. "That's a Florges." he said. "That's what threw Budew out of the cave."

Argent nodded. "And it's flowers..." he muttered.

"What about them?" Amber asked.

Argent looked at the screen intently. "I've seen them before." he pulled out his Pokedex and pointed it at the screen.

 _"Florges, The Garden Pokemon. It claims exquisite flower gardens as its territory, and it obtains power from basking in the energy emitted by flowering plants. Upon evolving from Floette, it's flower merges with it and becomes an ornate bouquet around it's head. Level 31. Moves Known: Petal Dance, Psychic, Synthesis, and Flower Shield. Ability: Flower Veil. Flower Type: Amphrosia."_

"Just like I thought." Argent said. "It's bouquet is made of Amphrosia."

"Feel free to tell us what that is." Braedon grumbled. On the screen, Kecleon continued to stare at Florges.

"It's a flower that attracts Fairy, Bug and Grass type Pokemon." Argent said.

Amber snapped her fingers. "I've heard of that! It was mentioned in a textbook or something... It drives Pokemon positively crazy."

"I wonder..." Argent said with a hand to his chin. "Could all those Pokemon be giving that Florges gifts because of the Amphrosia flowers?"

"If so, then maybe the Pokemon that attacked us were sent by that Florges?" Amber asked. "It would make sense. Florges are territorial Pokemon by nature, so it probably set up that army as a guard."

Braedon was only half listening, his eyes locked on the screen.

Florges took a step forward, and Kecleon stiffened. Braedon couldn't read Pokemon body language as easily as humans, but he but Kecleon's actions were universal. He was scared.

Then the Pokemon swarmed around Florges, swallowing Kecleon in the process.

"We have to get in there." Braedon said, interrupting something Amber said.  
"I think Kecleon is in trouble!"

Braedon stood up, but Amber grabbed his arm. "Wait Braedon!" she cried.

"But-"

"Think it through logically." Argent said. "With the Amphrosia, Florges effectively has that entire crowd under it's control. We can't beat that many Pokemon."

Braedon pulled away angrily. "I don't care! We have to save Kecleon."

"Then we need a plan." Amber said.

Braedon looked at the crowd. Most of the Pokemon were small and light, and they were packed closely together...

Braedon smiled at his companions. "We don't need a plan. We need chaos."

* * *

Kecleon wasn't sure how to respond, so he took a step backward. That's all he could do before all hell broke loose.

The crowd surged forward, swarming Florges and sweeping Kecleon up in the process.

 _Milady, Milady!_ They chanted. Kecleon tried to get out of the tidal wave of Pokemon, but he couldn't push through them. He began to panic, his heart racing and his head pounding.

 _I have to get away... I can't-_ then Kecleon was knocked over. He could barely pull his arms above as a shield before the pokemon trampled him. A foot to his face, then to his leg, then one to his chest, taking his breath away-

He couldn't hear himself cry out in pain. The chanting was too loud.

 _Am I_ _going to die?_ Kecleon wondered as he slipped out of consciousness.

In his dreams, he felt like he was flying.

* * *

 ** _A/N: What's Braedon's plan? Will Kecleon be okay? Find out soon!_**

 **Here's a quick update because I felt bad for not updating any of my stories at** ** _all_** **for two weeks. I promise the next one will be 2000 words long!**


	14. Chapter 14: Prodigies vs Flower Queen

Braedon crouched behind a thick tree and watched as Kecleon struggled to get out of the crowd. He could easily see his friend over the sea of smaller Pokemon. He knew Amber wouldn't dare try anything as long as Kecleon was in the way.

He hoped his plan would work. So much could go wrong. Maybe all the Pokemon weren't as weak as Braedon had theorized, and wouldn't pass out after they attacked. Maybe he Amber would be seen and Florges would attack her. Maybe there were too many of them. Maybe-

 _No. Stop._ Braedon told himself. But it didn't work. Somehow, his body was as tight as a coiled Seviper and vibrating as fast as a Vibrava's wings. His earlier confidence was gone. It hadn't really existed anyway. But it had been a necessary façade - How could his friends believe in a plan he himself didn't believe in?

He _had_ to stay poised, no matter what happened-

Then Kecleon disappeared into the crowd and Braedon decided fuck being calm.

In a less than a second, Braedon made a decision.

"Now, Amber!" He yelled across the field.

Florges turned to stare at Braedon, but he barely noticed. Braedon only had eyes for the spot Kecleon disappeared to.

The ground began to rumble. Several jagged pillars of rock broke through the ground below the swarm, launching all of them into the air. Kecleon's body lurched upward limply. Braedon pulled out a Pokeball and pointed it at the injured Pokemon. He clicked the button, knowing he only had a few seconds-

A red beam light shot out of the ball and found Kecleon. It hit his body and Kecleon disappeared back into the machine.

Braedon hugged the pokeball close yo his chest and held his breath for a second as he waited. After what felt like an eternity, a gust of pink and silver wind whipped up, creating a cyclone that caught hold of all tge Pokemon. Braedon held on to the tree and Kecleon's pokebal as the slipstream pulled him forward. He could only hope his friends were doing the same-

Then a ball of light appeared in the center of the cyclone. Before Braedon could begin to wonder what happened, the cyclone stopped.

Braedon's breath caught in his throat. All the Pokemon floated in the air, held up by psychic energy, then fell to the ground. Each of them were already knocked out, either by Tyrunt's Stone Edge or Vivillon and Klefki's Silver Wind/ Fairy Wind Combo. They were the least of Braedon's worries.

At the center of the carnage was Florges.

The Pokemon's wreath of flowers had lost all it's golden petals, like Braedon had planned. But unlike in his plan, she was conscious.

Braedon stared her down and pulled out a pokeball. He pressed the button and threw it. "Sableye, let's do it!" he called as Sableye appeared in a flash of blinding light. "Mean Look!"

Sableye's gemstone eyes started to glow. A rune that resembled an half-closed eye appeared. Florges tried to move forward, but found herself trapped. Braedon knew that she couldn't cross the lines. It still gave her some mobility, but trapped her in one place.

Amber and Argent ran to his side.

"Don't get too close." Argent warned. "If we get to close, she can use Psychic. Stick to long distance moves."

Amber nodded. " You wouldn't happen to have any long distance Steel Type moves?" she asked. He just sighed. "Dammit. Tyrunt use Ancient Power!"

Rocks formed above Tyrunt and shot toward Florges. An army of pink petals appeared in front of her and intercepted the rocks, slicing them in half. They fell to the ground.

"Holy..." Amber muttered, taking a step back. "That was stronger than any Petal Dance I've ever seen."

Braedon stepped forward. His eyes stung. " _I don't give a damn."_ he said hoarsely. "She hurt my Pokemon! I'm not letting anyone get away with that! Nightshade, Sableye!"

Sableye shot a beam of black light at Florges, which flew in a zig zag pattern as it sped toward Florges.

Florges pulled it's arms back and cuffed them together, a ball of silvery - blue light forming. A beam shot from her hands and collided with Nightshade, causing an explosion of black and silver energy.

Braedon gritted his teeth. His vision turned red. He forgot who he was and what he was doing. He forgot Argent's warning. All he could think of was his anger, and why he was angry. "Shadow Sneak!" he commanded.

Sableye became a black blur that slithered across the grass and rushed towards Florges.

Florges held out her palm. Glowing multi-color leaves formed and swirled around her. Sableye slithered under her then jumped out of the ground behind Florges and extending it's claws to slash at her. The leaves seemed to have a mind of their own as they collided with Sableye, knocking him back across tge field.

"Sableye!" Braedon cried, running to him.

"Stone Edge!" Amber called. Braedon felt the ground shake and saw Florges shoot upward just before the rocks emerged, floating out of their reach.

"Metal Sound!" Argent yelled urgently.

Honedge unsheathed himself and began to vibrate like a tuning fork. Braedon's ears began to buzz.

Florges covered her ears and began to writhe in agony. She fell to the ground, hiting the rocks and sliding off of them as she went.

Tyrunt began to claw at his ears, and Sableye covered his ears and began to squirm.

"Sableye!" Braedon cried.

"Argent, stop!" Amber yelled.

"Stop, Honedge!" Argent commanded. "Shadowball now!"

A ball of violet energy appeared before Honedge, who jettisoned it at Florges. It hit Florges square in the chest and sent her flying into the rocks.

Florges fell to the ground, tgen floated back up warrily.

"Don't let her recover!" Braedon yelled as he quickly scrambled to his feet. "Nightshade!"

"Shadowball!" Argent commanded.

"Ancient Power!" Amber shouted.

The three Pokemon launched their attacks at Florges.

She flew upwards again, dodging the attacks. This movement wasn't as effortless or graceful as before.

 _She must be getting tired._ Braedon thought.

As if to prove him wrong, Florges chose that moment to shoot another beam of light at them.

"Dodge!" all three trainers yelled as they ducked for cover. The Pokemon jumped away as the beam dragged across the field, disintegrating the grass that it touched.

"Sableye, Nightshade!" Braedon commanded. Sableye launched another beam at Florges, who zoomed out of the way.

Florges' eyes began to glow. The giant pillars behind her lifted into the air.

Braedon cursed. Of course she would-

"Run!" Amber yelled as Florges launched the first pillar at them.

Braedon flung himself tp the side as a pillar rocketed towards him. It landed an arms length away from him, kicking up a cloud of dust. Braedon hacked as the dust got into his throat.

Another ocked was launched, this one at Amber, who was tackled out of the way by Tyrunt.

The final pillar was thrown at Argent. He jumped to the side, landing next to Amber as the boulder was jettisoned into the trees.

The good news? The boulders were now too far for Psychic to be able to reach them. The bad news? Now Florges was _pissed_.

"Florges!" she yelled as she launched a beam of silvery light at nothing in particular.

"Shadowball!" Argent yelled.

Braedon stood up quickly. "Nightshade!" he ordered.

The Nightshade hit the Shadowball and propelled it forward. The Shadowball began to grow as it flew, absorbing the energy from the other attack. The giant Shadowball engulfed the still trapped Florges in an explosion of black light.

"Florges!" Florges yelled in anguish. It's leaves were torn and frayed, and it body was scared. Regardless, it was still standing. _How?_

Braedon could feel his blood boil. He had to think of a plan, but he was too frustrated to think properly. He urgently needed to get away. He had to calm down and clear his head. _For Kecleon._

Braedon made his second hard decision of the day.

"Amber, command Sableye." Braedon told her. "I'll be back."

"Where are you- Braedon!" she yelled as he disappeated into the trees.

Braedon kept runnin until he was far enough away. As soon as he was, he emptiedout the contents of his backpack. First rule of scheming: evaluate your resources.

He had a several empty pokeballs, about thirty pokeballs with Floette and Flabèbè in them, his camera and laptop, his Pokedex, canned food, clothes, and his old Holocaster. Nothing useful, nothing good for anuthing.

 _A good trainer always has just what they need to win a battle. Their Pokemon._ That's was the motto his battle mechanics teacher lived by. One all her students had memorized.

"My Pokemon..." Braedon muttered. But he didn't have any Pokemon. Sableye was fighting Florges, and Kecleon was hurt. This was a disaster. They didn't have a chance against Florges. They should have never got involved after those Floette and Flabèbè attacked-

Wait. That's right. Braedon _did_ have Pokemon left.

"Sableye, Tyrunt, Nightshade and Ancient Power!" Amber yelled.

Both Pokemon launched their attacks.

"Florges!" she shot upward to dodge the attacks, and both flew past her.

Florges shot another Moonblast at them.

"Dodge!" Argent and Amber yelled.

But, right as Florges began to lainch it's attack, a barrage of green Energyballs hit it, causing the attack to backfire and explode.

Amber spun around. Standing at thr edge of the cleating was Braedon.

Floating behind him was his own personal army.

"Floette, Flabèbè," Braedon shouted. He pointed at Florges. "Now is your chance for revenge! Magical Leaf!"

A giant swarm of leaves formed and plunged towards Florges. Florges tried to fly up, but the leaves struck her before she could dodge. She fell to the ground.

 _Now's my chance._ "Pokeball, go!" Braedon yelled as he threw a pokeball at Florges. It hit it's mark perfectly, opening up as it flew and shooting a red beam at Florges. Florges went inside.

Braedonheld his breath as the ball clicked once... Twice...

Then it burst open and snapped in half, releasing Florges in a fountain of light.

"No!" Argent yelled.

"She broke free..." Amber muttered. She took a step back and looked at her best friend, tired and hopeful, like she was begging him with her eyes. "You don't happen to have another trick up your sleeve, would you?"

Braedon grinned. "As a matter a fact, I do." Braedon pulled out another ball. "A good trainer always does. Solarbeam!"

A ball of green light formed in front of each Flabèbè and Floette as they began to charge their attacks.

Florges looked scared for a second, but that sooned passed as she regained her calm fury. She brought her arms backward and cuffed them, then shot another Moonblast at the army.

"Shadowball!" Argent yelled. The two attacks collided in an explosion of light.

Braedon knew he only had seconds. That was all he needed. "This is for Kecleon!" Braedon yelled. "Attack!"

All of the small army unleased a beam of blinding light that fut through the air and struck Florges.

The light became a swirling ball of energy that blinded Amber. Shes shielded her eyes from the explosion of white light.

W

hen the smoke and dust cleared, Amber looked up. Florges laid on the ground, passed out.

Amber ran up to Braedon and kissed him on the cheek. He rubbed it with his hand, smirking. "I'm awesome, right?"

"How did you-"

"Bought the TM for Solarbeam in Santalune City." Braedon said happily. "And the Floette and Flabèbè were happy to help me once I explained everything." he smiled at the swarm, which floated above him.

"And without the Amphrosia," Argent continued, "Florges couldn't control them."

Braedon nodded. "Yep. Now there's one thing left to do."

Braedon grabbed a pokeball from his belt and threw it. A beam of red light emerged from it and hit Florges, who disappeared. The pokeball closed and rocked three times, before sealing itself with one final click.

Braedon walked ovet and picked up the ball. He clicked and held the button, and the ball shrank to the size of a marble. He pocketed it with a smile. He felt so relieved, so _light._ His friends were safe. Everyone was fine. Sableye was good Kecleon-

Braedon froze. _Kecleon._ "C'mon," he said urgently to his friends. "We have to get our Pokemon to a center, _now._ "

* * *

 _ **A/N: What will happen next? What wiil happen to Kecleon? Read and review tp find out!**_

 _ **Reader question time! Out of all the Pokemon owned by the Prodigies, who's your favorite? Tell me when you review!**_


	15. Chapter 15: Braedon's Choice

_**Two Years Ago**_

"I can't believe we can't adopt them all!" Amber squealed.

"Because our stupid school has their stupid 'two Pokemon per trainer' rule." Braedon replied, looking at a sleeping Zigzagoon apprehensively. "I'd get this if it were a dark type. I'm really digging the zig-zag pattern." he looked at the small Sableye on his shoulder. "What say you, Sable?"

"Sableye-eye!" Sableye grinned.

"I can't even adopt one!" Amber cried, intertwining her fingers in the chain link fence and staring at the Pokemon running around.

"Ty?" Tyrunt pouted beside her.

"Not hating on you and Tauros or anything!" Amber promised hastily. "Just saying, why did I come on this field trip if I can't have more Pokemon? I'm just torturing myself!"

Braedon smirked at her. "You're here because A) you're a good friend who's here to support me in this important endeavor, 2) you wanted to see the uber-adorable Pokemon, and III) who can pass up a day away from those pompous asses?"

Those "pompous asses" were the teachers and stuck-up rich brats who went to their school. Braedon hated all of them (Not that that stopped him from flirting with everything under eighteen with a Y chromosome. Because hating a person didn't affect Braedon's capacity to hit on them).

"Quiet down!" Amber warned. "Mr. Sharp just walked by. He could of heard you. You can't afford another demerit."

"Why? Does it cost much?" Braedon said whimsically.

Amber stiffened a giggle with her hand, obviously not wanting to laugh but failing spectacularly.

Braedon tried to respond, but was interrupted by a blur passing by and knocking him over.

Braedon let out a curse and pulled himself back up.

"What the hell-?" someone yelled.

Braedon looked toward where the guy was pointing, and did a double take.

He was pointing at... A floating Pokepuff case?

No, wait. Braedon looked closer. Their was a translucent red zig zag stripe floating there too.

"Stop!" a man came barreling towards them. "Thief!"

If Braedon's ears could perk up, they would have.

"Thief?" he asked the man.

"That invisible Pokemon took my Pokepuff case!" he yelled, lunging for said case. The case seemed to jump back, just out of his reach.

"A Kecleon!" Amber cried.

"A what?" Braedon asked.

Amber covered her mouth, once again trying not to laugh as the man lunged for the case again. "It's a Pokemon that can turn invisible. All but the stripe, which is barely noticeable. They're actually pretty annoying- back at the ranch I'd catch them looting through the barns a lot."

Braedon grinned deviously. "Looting? Sounds fun."

Amber caught on immediately. "Nuh-uh. No way. Don't do it."

Braedon's grin grew. That clinched it for him.

Braedon stepped between the man, who was preparing to pounce again, and Kecleon, who dangled the box just out of reach.

 _How tall is this Pokemon if it's holding that case up so high?_ Braedon thought. Only later would he realise that the Pokemon wasn't that tall- it was dangling the box with it's tongue.

"Step aside," Braedon said, looking back at the man and winking. "Let a professional Pokemon Trainer handle this."

The man crinkled his brow. "... Aren't you, like, twelve?"

Amber snickered. Braedon shot her a look, the glared at the man. "So much for gratitude."

The man took a step back and twirled his hand, as if to say "go on".

Braedon chose to ignore that.

"Sableye, front and center!" Sableye jumped from Braedon's shoulder to the ground. "Dig!"

Sableye began to rapidly dig a hole in the ground, then jumped inside and disappeared.

The Kecleon dropped the case. Braedon knew what he was doing.

Braedon waved his finger back and forth. "You can't hide from Sableye."

Then, as if reading from a script, Sableye chose to erupt from the ground. Kecleon materialised and was flung into the air.

"Pokeball, go!" Braedon yelled as he threw a pokeball. It collided with Kecleon just as the Pokemon's trip skyward started to climax. Kecleon disappeared into the ball in a flash of red light.

Three clicks, and Kecleon was his.

Braedon skipped over to the pokepuff case and picked it up. He then handed it to the man. "Drop this?"

"How did- wha-?" the man sputtered.

"You mean how did Sableye know where to come up?" the man nodded. "Simple. Pokemon who use dig can't see they're opponent when they attack. I figured out awhile ago that Pokemon who use dig must have a way to sense where the pokemon is underground. That sense involves feeling the movements and tremors of the ground, which is why the move is a Ground Type move. I wrote a paper on it last year."

That was the last straw. Amber broke into full blown laughter, then realised that their were people around and traded her laughter for a blush and stammering.

Braedon grabbed her by the arm and led her away. Once they were far away from the Pokemon that were waiting to be adopted, he pulled out Kecleon's pokeball.

"Go Kecleon." he said quietly, opening the ball.

Kecleon appeared in a flash of light.

"Since a pokeball worked on you, you don't belong to this adoption center." Braedon said. "I bet you just broke in because you're starving." he crouched down, then looked Kecleon in the eye. "You hungry?"

Kecleon nodded fervently.

Braedon held out his hand to Amber expectantly. He knew she had candy. She always did.

"What're you... _Oh_." she smiled and pulled a chocolate bar out of her bag and handed it to Braedon.

He grinned at Kecleon and split it into two, giving Sableye half and Kecleon the other half.

"Kec-kec!" Kecleon cheered, stuffing his face.

Braedon smiled, thinking of all the hell they would raise together.

* * *

 ** _Today_**

" _Another Pokemon has been attacked?"_

Braedon covered his ears.

" _Get it in the healing apparatus, stat!"_

Braedon squeezed his ears, as if that would block out the memory.

 _"It's bones aren't mending!"_

Braedon felt a tear go down his cheek.

After they had caught Florges, the three of them had raced to the nearest Pokemon Center and burst in. They weren't the only ones who had been victimized by the Florges. The PC had been crowded with trainers and injured Pokemon. Braedon had even noticed some injured trainers who had decided to treat their Pokemon first. Any other day, Braedon would of went up to them and showed his admiration for their efforts.

But today he felt too numb to do anything. His earlier adulation had been torn apart with the realization that Kecleon's wounds were beyond what could be healed by powerful machines and potions.

Braedon had heard of those kinds of injuries before- broken bones and missing appendages (in Kecleon's case, it was broken ribs)- the kind of wounds that were forbidden in league battles.

But wild Pokemon battles had no rules. Not any clear cut ones, anyway. These kinds of afflictions could happen in an instant and were almost inevitable. Braedon should have known that.

 _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._ Braedon thought as the image of Kecleon attached to the healing apparatus appeared in his head. The green skin of his ribs had turned dark blue. Braedon cringed.

Braedon had studied injuries in his Pokemon Physiology class at school. But no one had told him how much it _hurt_ to see his Pokemon suffer. That wasn't something that could be taught.

In his lap, Sableye stirred. Braedon wondered if the sleeping Pokemon had felt him stiffen. Sableye had fallen asleep as soon as one of Nurse Joy's aides had healed him, refusing to go into his pokeball when he saw how distressed Braedon was.

Braedon hung his head. With Sableye asleep, he was once again totally alone. Just like earlier. And also like earlier, he had a lot of thinking to do.

He had put Kecleon in danger. It was Braedon's idea to send in Kecleon. It was Braedon's plan to have Tyrunt use Stone Edge, which probably hurt Kecleon even worse. Heck, it was Braedon's idea to take on this moronic challenge across Kalos. Braedon wished he could go back decision by decision and undo each one, until he was safe at school with Sableye and Kecleon and Amber.

"Brae."

Braedon looked up, even though he already knew who it was.

"Hey, Am. Argent." he nodded at them.

"We sent Florges and one of the Floette and Flabèbè to the professor." Argent said. He and Amber had left to heal their own Pokemon a few minutes ago. "He says so long as they clip Florges flowers before they open, she won't be any-"

"So?" Braedon croaked.

Argent pursed his lips but didn't respond. Braedon couldn't handle looking him in the eye any longer, so he looked down at his feet instead.

Amber sat down next to him. He was on the floor, because the benches were already taken by trainers.

She put a hand on his back and said nothing, for which Braedon was eternally grateful. She knew him well enough not to say something dense like "How are you?" or "Are you okay?". She knew people, and how they felt, and how annoying it was to be asked how you felt when the answer was written on your face.

They sat there for a few minutes, all of them silent among the chaos of the center, which became a buzz in the background.

Amber excused herself to go to the bathroom, leaving Argent and Braedon alone.

They stood there in a silence that felt even deeper, somehow, for the next few minutes. Braedon concentrated on his one wish, his one desire to be safe and home.

"I know what you're thinking."

Braedon removed his hands from his ears and looked up.

"I know you want to quit." he said, his voice steady.

"Quit?" Braedon hadn't actually thought of that.

"When I was attacked by Mulan, I thought of going home." Argent said. He was staring straight ahead, not looking at Braedon. "But I didn't. It was a difficult choice. But it was mine to make."

"What are you saying?" Braedon asked, bemused. "That you want me to quit? Gee, thanks."

"No, I'm not offering advice or an opinion. Just making and observation and sharing it."

Braedon bit his lip. "How did you decide?"

"The same way everyone should make their decisions. By weighing the pros and cons of each side and choosing the path that made the most logical sense."

"So staying makes the most sense?" Braedon said angrily. "Your Pokemon could of got hurt, you could have died-"

"My Pokemon... are fine." he muttered. It was the first time in that whole conversation that his voice wavered.

"How can you say that?" Braedon asked. "How do you know-"

"I asked them."

Braedon paused. "You... Asked them?"

Argent nodded. "Of course. It isn't a decision that affects only me. It's only fair to ask their opinion on the matter. In the end, I suppose it wasn't my decision. It was ours."

Braedon pondered that. He looked at Sableye, then at Kecleon's empty pokeball on Braedon's belt. Argent was right. He had a big decision to make. But not alone.

"Hey guys! Guess what I got!" Amber appeared beside Argent, holding several bags. "Get well gifts for Kecleon!"

Braedon felt a surge of pure affection swell inside of him. He pulled Sableye out of his lap and onto the floor, then sprang up and wrapped his arms around Amber and Argent.

"T-thanks." Braedon beamed.

"I-uh-" Argent stammered.

"Anytime." Amber said as she hugged him back.

* * *

"Braedon Lovette, please report to the front desk." a voice on the intercom said.

Braedon shot upward and raced to the desk, pushing people out of the way as he did. He got a few fingers and multiple glares, but no one tried to stop him.

"That's me." Braedon said to the Nurse Joy as soon as he got to the desk. He flashed his trainer card.

"Come with me." she said, leading the four of them through the crowd of trainers to a set of double doors.

They walked down the hall to a door. Nurse Joy held up a card to a scanner and scanned it. They enteted the room and Braedon rushed to Kecleon's side, Sableye on his shoulder.

"Kecleon!" Braedon exclaimed, holding on to the railing. Kecleon was asleep, and he was so still that it worried Braedon. He turned to the nurse. "Is he alright?"

"Of course." the nurse said. "Pokemon heal much faster than people, so broken ribs aren't as big of a deal as they would be if it were a person. He should be better in a week or so."

Braedon let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. " _Thank Arceus_."

Amber grinned and slung an arm over his shoulder. "That's great!"

Braedon couldn't help but grin. "All that worrying... For nothing..."

"Kec- kec..."

Braedon nearly jumped out of his skin. "Kecleon! You're awake!"

It took everything Braedon had to not squeeze Kecleon to death. Instead, he put a hand on Kecleon's forehead. Sableye jumped onto the bed and smiled at his friend.

Braedon couldn't be happier.

* * *

Braedon didn't sleep for the next two nights, preferring to stay up and _f_ _reak out_ over how he would tell his friends he was going home. If, in fact, he was.

That led him to the real problem. He had to ask his Pokemon how they felt. But, even though he had a week to do so, he hadn't even brought it up once. How do you even start that conversation? _Hey guys, I know we've had fun and stuff, but there's a chance we could get hurt, so now I'm asking you to_ _give up a trip across the region, maybe?_

Okay, maybe he could start it like that, but how do you actually work up the nerve to say that?

So that's how Braedon ended up awake next to Kecleon's bed at one in the morning, the day before they had to leave.

Leave to go where? That depended on the answer to the question Braedon was putting off asking.

"Kecleon?"

Braedon jumped out of his chair in surprise. "Kecleon! You're awake?" he nodded.

 _Now or never._ Braedon thought. "T-that's good. I have something to ask you. Sableye too."Braedon put a hand on Sableye and shook him. "Get up, you lazy ass."

Sableye groaned from his spot at the foot of Kecleon's sick bed. Kecleon kicked him, because apparently he had enough energy to do that.

Sableye cracked one eye open and glared at the two.

"Please, Sableye?" Braedon asked. "It's really important."

Sableye sighed and sat up, crossing his legs. "Sable?"

Kecleon also turned his attention to Braedon.

"I, uh, you guys sure you don't need to go to the bathroom first? 'Cause I can wait."

"Sable!"

"Okay, okay, bossy, I'll get to the point." Braedon put his hands in his lap. "You know when I told you guys we were going on this trip?" They both nodded. "Well, that's sorta the thing. I just told you guys. I didn't _ask_ you. So I'm doing that now. Do you, after all that's happened, still want to go on this trip? Because if either of you don't, we can go home, or-"

"Sable." Sableye put a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait, what does that mean? Do you want to or-"

"Kecleon!" Kecleon cried.

"Wait, so you want to stay?"

They both shook their heads.

"You want to go?"

They shook their heads again.

"Then what do you want?!" Braedon cried. "I don't understand. Stay or go?"

Sableye looked directly at Braedon, then pointed to Braedon's chest.

"Me?" Braedon said. "You want me to... What, decide for you?"

Sableye nodded.

"Kecleon!" Kecleon affirmed.

"What? No way! This is our decision, not just mine. I don't- I can't-"

"Sable. Say-say-say." Sableye said. He then leaned toward Kecleon and put up a finger, then brought it back and forth in front of Kecleon's face. Kecleon jerked his head to follow it.

 _Follow._

 _"_ You're saying you'll follow me?" Braedon whispered.

Kecleon looked at Sableye, then pointed in all directions. Sableye extended his arms as if to hug something.

"You'd follow me... In every direction?" Both of them nodded again, but gave him looks that said "think harder".

What did they mean? They were just pointing everywhere...

Wait.

Like a light switch being turned on, Braedon understood. "You'll follow me... Everywhere?"

"Sableye!" Sableye cracked a grin.

"Kec-Kec!" Kecleon agreed.

Braedon didn't realise he was crying until a tear fell down his face onto his hand.

Braedon sprung forward and grabbed his two Pokemon, encompassing them in a crushing Usaring hug.

"Kecleon!" Kecleon protested.

"Oops. S-sorry buddy." he let them go.

Sableye snickered.

Braedon punched him on the shoulder. "Shut up."

* * *

Braedon left the room about an hour later, saying he needed some food after all that crying. In reality, he needed to think.

So. The decision was his, and his alone.

Argent's words played in his head.

 _"How did you decide?"_

 _"The same way everyone should make their decisions. By weighing the pros and cons of each side and choosing the path that made the most logical sense."_

So far, Argent's advice had been rock solid. So Braedon decided to try it his way.

Cons? They could get hurt or die. Anyone of them. The trip was going to be hard, and involve blood, sweat and tears.

But then again, didn't the best things? He remembered something Amber had told him.

 _"Every car you pass by is another chance for a car accident."_

She had been complaining then, because that was what her Sunday School teacher had told the little kids to scare them into valuing their life (which meant pledging their life to Arceus, in the preacher's eyes). But Braedon now saw that the teacher was wrong about the use of that... Wait, was it metaphor? Who cares.

You could die at anytime. That meant living your life was important. Every new day is another chance to die. Going on this journey didn't change that, it just made it more obvious.

That brought him to the pros. On his journey, Braedon felt _alive_. The excitement, the challenge, the experiences. They had just started and Braedon already loved them.

And he was doing it with Sableye and Kecleon and Amber. His best friends. Even Argent, that annoying prick, was a key part of his adventure.

A pro was that his journey was _fun._

A con was that it could kill him.

A pro was that he got to spend time with Amber, who he would leave behind if he went home.

A con was that he could fail utterly, and disappoint her and his father.

There were so many thing to consider.

Like everyone around him. Amber, who would support him no matter what, but would miss him dearly. Argent, who was instrumental in figuring out how to decide in the first place. Sableye and Kecleon, who would follow him anywhere. His father, who would be disappointed in him once again.

Braedon realised he had jumped from one point to another, so he stopped and tried to collect all the points he made. Then he got lost and decided to start over.

Sableye and Kecleon wanted him to decide. Argent said to listen to them. Amber would support him no matter what. His father would view im as a disappointment no matrer what.

So... Didn't that leave only him? Didn't thst mean he was the one who it came down to?

 _Yes, idiot._ He chastised himself.

What did he want to do?

* * *

Amber looked at him. " _Excuse me? He's what?"_

Argent didn't wince at her. Probably because he knew Amber wouldn't hurt him.

"Considering the option of going home."Argent said casually.

"By what, I meant that I couldn't believe it, not that I didn't know what you meant." Amber explained.

"Then say that next time-"

"Wait, why is he leaving?" amber asked.

"Who's leavin'? Is it your highness over here? Because it sure ain't me."

Braedon sauntered over.

"Come on guys!" Braedon yelled. "Times-a-wastin' we need to get to the next town!"

"You're not leaving?" Amber asked. She pulled him into a bone crushing hug. "Sweet Mew, thank you!"

Braedon's quirked upwards. "Like I could leave you two kids all alone. You'd die without me."

Amber hugged him tighter. "True."

Argent scoffed. "I highly doubt that."

Braedon gently pulled Amber off of him and grinned like a maniac. He then tackled Argent.

"Wha-"

"Don't act coy." Braedon said. He hugged him tighter. "You're the one who talked me out of it."

Argent squirmed. "I did no such thing."

"You told me something that changed my mind." Braedon pulled Amber into the hug. "Same difference."

"That makes no sense. Now let me go."

"Why? Does our love annoy you?" Braedon asked innocently. Amber giggled.

"You annoy me. Now let go! People are staring!"

Braedon spit out his tongue.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Guess who has a new favorite chapter?_**

 ** _No, not Bob. Bob is dead to me. You know what you did._**

 ** _A/N 2: I was going to have this chapter show Kecleon all better and all of them moving on to the next town, but then I realised how stupid that was. Braedon wouldn't just get over Kevleon getting injured. And I couldn't just back out and have him automatically healed by a machine after setting up his injuries to be serious in the last two chapters, could I? Plus, I felt like Braedon needed some spotlight. Amber got the beginning of the journey, more backstory revealed (so far) and the battles with Rotom and Talonflame, while Argent got his shining moment against Mulan. So I gave Braedon some love._**

 ** _A/N:Reader question time!_**

 ** _Should the prodigies of this story meet the characters of my other story, Pokemon Alliance? The two will intersect, so I might as well. What say you?_**

 ** _Goodbye, my lovelies!_**


	16. Chapter 16: Oh Brother

Argent was having a (relatively) good day, which was a welcome reprieve after the Florges fiasco. They had left early enough that they got to Lumoise City before nightfall, so they could sleep in the Pokemon Center instead of camping out. Upon arriving, Argent found out that there wasn't just one Pokemon Trainer shop in Lumoise, there were _two_ (which, in retrospect, shouldn't have been surprising considering how big Lumoise was). So he, Braedon and Amber spent their night buying supplies from both, which ended with Argent getting an newly released electronic mapping tool he had wanted since they began their journey (Argent would of had got one from his father, but his father's company hadn't released their newest model in stores before Argent started his journey, and he refused to have an outdated model). After enduring teasing from Braedon, Argent bought it, and spent the rest of the night (until midnight) using it to locate the Pokemon they needed and map their journey. He even found a lead on Zoroa's location in Kalos, though he went to bed before he could persue it.

That might not seem like much, but to Argent it was a spectacular night.

So _of course_ the next day had to be terrible. Because Arceus forbid he have too many good days in a row.

The next day he awoke to Sableye in his suitcase again, most of his clothes ruined. After fighting with Braedon for the first time in twenty four hours, a new record, he finally found a salvageable outfit and changed into it. Only to spill coffee on it when Amber bumped into him. After regretfully getting his last sweater vest and dress shirt out, he trudged back out of the PC dorms to discover that Braedon had took it upon himself to buy Argent a whole new wardrobe of clothes he deemed "less stuffy", also known as despicable jeans and hoods that only street children like Braedon would wear.

The worst part was that Braedon was sincere, so Argent couldn't bring himself to insult the boy for actually trying to help. Though he did insult the clothes plenty, which sparked an arguement between the two of them that ended with them getting kicked out of another Pokemon Center, which earned them Amber's fury because it cut into a call to her parents, who called them a "bad influence on Amber".

Street clothes, getting kicked out of Pokemon Centers, being called a "bad influence". Argent was now an official delinquent.

Then _he_ showed up.

"I don't know why you're blaming me." Braedon grumbled. "It takes two to argue."

"Braedon, I'm blaming him too. Stop being over dramatic." Amber said. The worst part of her being angry at a person was how she went about it. She wasn't actualky angry, just huffy and sad and disappointed, which effectively made even Argent feel guilty.

"It doesn't feel like we're both being blamed." Braedon continued. "You keep giving _me_ sad eyes."

Amber directed her glistening brown eyes at Braedon. "I assure you I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah ri- oof!" Braedon said as a man zipped passsed him on roller blades. "Hey, watch it dickwad!"

The boy spun on one foot and faced them. The color drained out of Argent's face.

Even with a helmet on, Argent recognized him and his pale grey eyes and light grey hair sticking out from the helmet in odd places, a shade lighter than Argent's.

 _Shit_.

Argent hid behind Amber, who was a head shorter than him, and tried to look inconspicuous.

 _Please don't notice me..._ Argent prayed. _Please..._

"Sorry, dudes." he said in a long, drawn out voice not unlike that of a stereotypical surfer. "I'm just in a hurry and- Argent!?"

 _Thanks_. Argent glared at the sky

The boy leaped forward, shoving Amber out of the way to wrap his arms around Argent.

"Oh my Arceus, it's you!" he squealed.

"Excuse me," Braedon said angrily. He tried to peel the boy off of Argent with little success. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Why?" the rollerblader said angrily. "How is it any of your business?"

"You just laid pushed my friend and are hugging my other one." Braedon snapped, examing him. He didn't move his eyes off of the boy as he helped Amber up. "It's my business."

"You're Argent's friend?" The boy said. He let go of Argent and stuck out his hand. Braedon glared at it. "Awesome sauce, man. I'm Rhodes Lancaster."

"...Lancaster?" Amber muttered at Braedon's side so Argent could barely hear her. He could see the pieces falling into place in her head. "That means you're-"

"Argent's brother." Rhodes finished for her with a grin.

* * *

"You're his brother? No way." Braefon said, taking another bite of a fry. He made sure to bite it slowly and wink at the waiter passing by, who rolled his eyes. Braedon turned back to Rhodes.

"It's true." Rhodes said insistently. "Can't you see the resemblance?"

"How?" Argent said, pushing his arm off of his shoulders. "We don't look alike in the slightest."

"Not true." Braedon said, tilting his head. "You have the same nose. And eyes."

Argent sighed. After the earlier incident, Rhodes had insisted on taking them out for food to make up for it. Braedon and Amber still weren't convinced- Amber kept her eyes on her sundae, and Braedon kept glaring at Rhodes when his eyes lingered on Amber for to long. They seemed to hate Argent's brother.

Argent found it refreshing to agree with them for once.

"What about you, sugar?" Rhodes said to Amber. "You haven't said anything this whole time."

Amber blushed all the way to her ears. "I-I'm-I just- I don't want to talk."

"Why not, sweetie?" Rhodes asked her, putting a hand on hers. She flinched. Argent considered punching him, but then realized it would be better to let Braedon do it.

This flirting- it was creepy. It wasn't playful like when Braedon did it, because Braedon knew when to stop. Braedon stopped when someone wasn't interested. He didn't push people beyond their limit, and he could usually see a person's limit. Rhodes either didn't know Amber wasn't interested or didn't care.

"Lay off her." Braedon growled, his voice lower than it had ever been.

"I'm just being friendly." Rhodes said airily.

"Now." Argent snapped finally. Rhodes looked at him with one eyebrow raised, then let go of Amber.

"Huh." Rhodes said. "Looks like little Argent found himself people as much of a stick in the mud as him."

"Okay, I'm done." Braedon said. He pulled out a hundred Poké ( **A/N: Poké is money in the Pokemon world. Okay, I'm unoriginal. So sue me.)** and put it on the table. "Argent, you can stay if you want. Amber, let's go."

Amber nodded and, still blushing, let Braedon lead her away. Argent got up to follow them, but Rhodes grabbed him.

"Nuh-uh. You aren't leavin' yet."

Argent reluctantly sat down. "What do you want, brother? You loathe me, I despise you. We've never got along. Why do you insist on spending time with me now?"

Rhodes grinned again. "Maybe I missed you. Did you miss me?"

"Like Children miss the end of summer." Argent replied emotionlessly.

"Was that sarcasm?" Rhodes clicked his tongue. "Maybe I like those friends of yours after all. They're a good influence on you."

"They're not my friends." Argent said. "And I didn't learn sarcasm from them."

"Really? Who'd you learn it from? Daddy?" Rhodes laughed loudly. "As if. The man doesn't have a sardonic bone in his body."

Argent wanted to argue with him, but he really couldn't. Father didn't appreciate sarcasm, and would be appalled that Argent had adopted it.

So instead, Argent got up and left the table.

* * *

Braedon cornered him when he arrived back at the Pokemon Center dorms.

"Tell me that dickwad isn't really your brother." Braedon said urgently.

"...Only if you tell me what dickwad even means." Argent deadpanned, setting down his shoulder bag on his bunk.

"Was that a joke?" Braedon asked. "I'm so proud. But seriously, your brother's a dickwad."

"I'm still not sure what that means..." Argent said. "But I agree."

"Same here." Amber said, petting a sleeping Tauros with a brush. It was getting late. "He creeped me out."

"You okay?" Braedon asked her hastily.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Brae. I'm not some blushing maiden whose virtue you need to protect. He just embarrassed me a little."

"You sure you're okay?" Braedon asked. "Because I'd love a reason to break his nose."

"No, Braedon." Amber said. "And I'm starting to wonder if you're really worried about me, or if you just want to fight this guy."

Braedon smiled cheekily, and they all went back to what they were doing- Argent started mapping more of their journey, Amber decided to groom Tauros, and Braedon played a game on his Pokedex (Argent wasn't even aware that it had games until recently).

Except Braedon kept sneaking looks at Argent.

Argent sighed after a few minutes. "I know what you're thinking."

"Not true." Braedon said defensively. "That may have worked two days ago, but not to-"

"You want to give me some asinine advice about my brother to repay me for giving you advice a few days ago."

Braedon raised both eyebrows. "How do you do that?"

"You're predictable." Amber said.

Argent smiled for the first time that day.

* * *

Rhodes steadied the phone on the table so he could see the hologram of his father.

Platine Lancaster did not grin at the sight of his first son. "Tell me, how did it go?"

"He ran away from me." Rhodes said truthfully. "So did his friends."

Platine gave his son a disapproving look, one he had obviously been saving just for Rhodes. "I knew I should of hired a professional. But that's the past, and I prefer not to dwell on the past." Rhodes actually smiled at that. It was just like his father.

"So," Platine said, "You say he has friends?"

Rhodes nodded. He did so to annoy Platine, who viewed nonverbal gestures as unassertive and useless. "Yes. Two. He denies that they're his friends, but he acted pretty angry when I teased them. And they call him a friend."

Platine didn't offer a reaction besides looking analytical and judgemental - but then again, he always looked that way.

"Did you find out anything else?" Platine asked.

"Nope." Rhodes said, making a popping sound with the "p". "But I will soon. I have a plan."

"Good." Platine said emotionlessly. "Do not mess this up, Rhodes. I'm giving you one chance. I trust you will not waste it.

"I won't." Rhodes promised, knowing that his father hated contractions.

Platine hung up, and Rhodes let out a sigh of relief. Finally, the conversation was done. Rhodes hated talking to that asshole, but he needed the money.

Even if it meant working with Platine Lancaster.

Even if it meant ruining his brother's life.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Why is Platine hiring Rhodes? What is Rhodes being hired to do? What are they planning? Will Argent be okay? Read and review to find out!**_


	17. Chapter 17: Friends

Argent had to admit, Lumoise city was a wonderful city.

Lumoise had everything, in the form of a quaint little shop. Novelty toys from the past? Check Main Street. Clothes to match your Pokemon? Near exit 4. Want to curse your friends? There was a voodoo shop next to a pokemon center on Cresent Boulevard.

Not that Argent found any of that interesting.

"This stupid thing doesn't work." Braedon said after trying to (unsuccessfully) make Argent dance in the middle of Cresent street with his new voodoo doll. Argent couldn't believe he had actually _bought_ a one. For 17.95.

"Of course not." Argent scoffed as they walked to the next shop. They were headed for the Pokemart to stock up on supplies before they left. "That thing was a waste of money."

"I know why it's not working," Braedon said as he shoved the useless doll unceremoniously into pocket. "You sucked the fun out of it, like you do everything."

Argent rolled his eyes. "So mature."

"Bite me." Braedon said with an eye roll of his own.

Amber pushed herself between both of them. "Can we not fight today? Please?"

Braedon stopped walking. "That's going to be hard."

"Why?" Amber asked.

Braedon pointed to the Pokemart a few yards away. Sitting on a bench next to the shop was a certain insouciant skater.

"He knew we would be here." Argent deduced.

"We can come back later." Amber suggested, looking at Argent. Braedon was as well.

"No," Argent said, gritting his teeth. "We need to get the supplies now if we want to leave today. I am not letting my moronic brother get in the way of out schedule."

In reality, Argent had given them a few extra hours in their scheldule just in case something went wrong (which happened often with them). So they could come back later. But Argent was determined to not let his brother ruin this day as well.

"Let's go." Argent led them to the Pokemart, dodging the crowds of people as they went.

Unfortunately, Rhodes noticed them as they passed.

"Broski! And his merry band of misfits!" Rhodes exclaimed cheerily. He held out his arms for a hug, then let them drop when none of them offered a reaction. "Fine fine. That's cool. Not everyone's a hugger."

Argent sighed. "Hello, Rhodes. If you'll excuse us, we're in a hurry."

Argent tried to sidestep him to get in the shop, but Rhodes extended his arm to block him.

"Nuh-uh!" Rhodes said. "You guys are coming with me."

"We are?" Amber asked in surprise.

Rhodes nodded. "You are."

"Or, we could go inside and ignore you." Braedon suggested hotly.

"Please? I just wanna talk." Rhodes pouted.

"What?" Argent said. "Why?"

"No reason. Please, Argent?" Rhodes begged.

"Like I told you, were busy." Argent said. "Move your arm."

"How about this?" Rhodes said. "Battle me now, or I tell dad about what you've been up to."

"What?" Argent took a step back.

"You see, little bro." Rhodes said gleefully. He was loving this. "Dad called me after he heard a certain rumor that his favorite son got involved with criminals. Something his favorite son hadn't told him. Something that happened far away from the school his favorite son was supposed to be in. Care to explain, little bro?"

Argent paled. "I-I-"

"No? Then I will." Rhodes said. "Dad wasn't sure why you weren't in school. And he didn't want to make a scene sending in a professional, or reporting you to the police as a run away. That would be bad PR for him. So he called me, which nearly gave me a heart attack, I was so shocked. You know what he wants me to do?"

Argent paled.

"Argent, what is he talking about?" Amber asked. "You're not supposed to be on this trip?"

"Nope." Rhodes said, popping his lips at the "p". "He's supposed to be in school, studying. Which is why I'm taking you home. By force, if necessary." he brought out a pokeball.

Argent started shaking. This was it. It was all over. He was going home.

"Okay." Argent said, not meeting Rhodes eye. "I'll go with you."

* * *

"Mind telling us what's going on?" Braedon asked.

Argent ignored him, putting another folded shirt into his backpack. They were in the Pokemon Center dorms again.

" _Argent_!" Braedon snatched up the backpack and dumped it's contents on the floor.

"Braedon!" Argent snapped. "Why did you-"

"No. Shut up for a second." Braedon glared at him. "Okay. Now talk. Tell us why the fuck you're packing."

"I'm going home." Argent explained.

"We figured that out, somehow." Amber said. "But why? Were you not supposed to be on this trip? Please explain to us."

"I don't have to tell you anything." Argent said. "Give me my backpack, Braedon."

"No." Braedon said. "We're your friends. Let us help you."

 _You're not my friends._ Argent thought. But, looking at their faces, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

So instead, he said: "My father wants me to become a doctor."

Braedon raised an eyebrow and Amber looked surprised. Argent took that as his cue to go on. "I do not want to be a doctor. I want to be a trainer. I want to graduate high school and go into college, then go on to beat the Gyms and Elite Four."

Saying his dream out loud, it was so... Invigorating. The only person he had told had been Austin.

Braedon smiled. "If anyone is stubborn enough to do it, it's you."

Amber wasn't grinning. "So you snuck on this trip?"

He nodded. "I-I thought that if I succeeded at this, it would convince my father to let me become what I want."

"Your father doesn't decide what you do after school." Braedon said. "Especially if we succeed. You'll get a full ride to any college you want."

Argent nodded. "Yes, that is why I signed up. But this plan hinged on my father not knowing what I'm doing. Now that he does, I have to go home."

"Go home?" Braedon asked. "You're seventeen! Leagally an adult! You can tell him to shove it."

Argent laughed hollowly. "That's what both my brothers did. And now Father refuses to speak to them, or let me speak to them. He disowned them."

Amber shook her head. "That's not right."

"That's my father." Argent said sadly. He began to pick up his stuff and put it into his backpack.

Amber went silent at that.

Braedon certainly didn't.

"Stop!" he grabbed Argent's hand and pulled him up, forcing him to let go of the shirt he had been holding. "You don't have to go home! We can think of something, or-"

"Or what, Braedon!" Argent lashed out. "What can I do?"

Braedon face fell. He let go of Argent. "I-"

"What? The famous Braedon Lovette doesn't have a plan for once?" Argent chuckled bitterly. "That is a new one."

Amber cleared his throat. "I do."

Both boys snapped their heads towards her.

"You do?" both of them said simultaneously.

Amber smiled. "Don't be so surprised."

"Well don't hold out on us." Braedon said. "Do tell."

"It's simple. Mr. Lancaster had to call Rhodes to bring back Argent right? Because if he sent someone else after Argent, the bad PR could get out. So his hands are tied. He can't hire anyone else, so if we take care of Rhodes, we'll be set. And Argent's father might stop talking to him, but like Argent said, if we succeed then maybe he'll change his mind about Pokemon Training. If he does, he'll talk to you again. If he doesn't..." Amber shrugged sadly. "Then you don't need him."

Argent looked at her. "But how do we 'take care of' my brother?"

"I have a shovel and we can get a body bag at the store on Oak street." Braedon said.

"Excuse me?"

"Kidding." Braedon said happily. "We'll just pay him off. I have some money saved up, and we all chip in, then maybe-"

Argent silenced him with a look. "Braedon, my father is a millionaire. Whatever he is paying Rhodes, we can not match it."

Braedon whistled. "You're loaded? And you haven't hooked me up with a car because..."

"Braedon, be serious." Amber chided. "We have to come up with a plan. How do we beat Rhodes?"

"Do we even have to?" Braedon said. "I mean technically, he can't force Argent to go home. And if Argent's father's hands are tied, he can't do anything either."

"Legally, they can't force me to go home," Argent said. "But that's why Father called Rhodes. He won't be worried about what's legal, if money is involved."

"So you're saying that your brother will kidnap you?" Braedon's eyes widened.

"I have an interesting family." Argent said dejectedly. He couldn't see a way out of this.

"So let's just run!" Braedon said. "We'll leave, and Rhodes won't be able to catch us."

Argent shook his head. "Braedon... Do you even know what my brother is?

"A prick?"

"Yes, but I was referring to his job. The reason my father disowned him." Argent said.

"What's his job?" Amber asked.

"A Bounty Hunter."

"A what?" Amber said.

"A Bounty Hunter. He hunts people for the police and turns them in for cash."

Amber frowned. "That doesn't mean that he-"

"He is also a level five trainer with a full team of pokemon." Argent said. "Running isn't an option."

"It is if all three of us take him on together." Braedon insisted.

"Yeah! He can't beat us all." Amber exclaimed.

"Amber, Braedon..." Argent closed his eyes and sighed. "It won't work."

"Then what do we do?" Amber pleaded.

Argent opened his eyes. "Our only chance is for me to beg Rhodes to stop trying to get me to come home."

"That doesn't sound like a chance at all." Amber said sadly.

"Then I guess I'm going home." Argent said.

None of them had a response to that.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Will Rhodes take Argent home? Or will our heroes beat him? Find out next chapter!_**

 _ **Sorry about how dialouge heavy this chapter was. I promise next chapter will have tons of battles.**_


	18. Chapter 18: Rhodes to Victory!

Argent and the others met Rhodes at the Pokemon Center entrance. He was leaning against the wall almost boredly, his eyes not even meeting Argent's when Argent approached.

"Ready to go?" Rhodes asked when Argent approached.

"No," Argent said. "I'm not going."

Rhodes crossed his arms. "You're not? You know what Dad will do if you refuse?"

Argent swallowed. "Yes."

Rhodes pulled a pokeball. From his belt. "And you understand what I'm willing to do?"

Argent, Amber and Braedon all took a step back and grabbed a pokeball from their belts.

"You don't have to do this." Argent pleaded. "Please."

Rhodes smiled. "I don't have to do anything, little bro. I do things because I _want_ to. And what I want to do now is..."

Argent braced himself.

"Let you go."

"Wait, what?" Amber asked.

"Excuse me?" Braedon said.

Argent was nearly speechless. "You're not serious?"

"Never am, broski." Rhodes smirked. "But I do want a battle before I go."

"A battle?" Argent's eyes narrowed. There had to be an alterior motive somewhere.

"Yep. And let's make it interesting. Loser has to tell daddy that you're not going home."

There it was.

"You're doing this to anger Father." Argent realized.

Rhodes crossed his arms. "Smart boy. And imagine how pissed he'll be! His favorite son and his least favorite son both telling him to shove it! And he already paid me half in advance just to get me to agree, so I'll be making off with his money! He's gonna have an aneurysm. If we're lucky."

Argent gritted his teeth. Rhodes _wanted_ Father to suffer. Despite all that Father had done, Argent couldn't stand for that.

"You-" Argent stepped forward.

Braedon put a hand on Argent's shoulder. Argent was so angry he didn't flinch away from the contact. "Dude, c'mon. He's not worth it."

"Yeah," Amber said. "Let's just go."

"Nope!" Rhodes said. "Not gonna happen. I wanna battle."

"So do I." Argent growled.

"Argent!" Amber said, grabbing his arm. "Rhodes is Level Five. He'll decimate you."

Argent pulled away from both of them.

"He's not worth it." Braedon repeated.

Argent knew what they were saying was true, but that didn't stop his blood from boiling.

"How about this then?" Rhodes said. "Either you battle me, or I drag you home. Your choice."

"Why?" Amber demanded. "Why do you want to battle so much?"

Rhodes grinned again. "Why not, sweatheart?"

Amber blushed. "D-don't call me that."

Rhodes shrugged. "Whatever. So, are we gonna battle, or what?"

"You don't have to-" Amber started.

"Fine." Argent interrupted. "We'll battle."

* * *

They regrouped behind the Pokemon Center, on the PC battlefield. The battlefield was like most Pokemon Center battlefields, huge and made of dirt.

"Okay," Amber said. She was once again acting as referee. Her eyes didn't leave Argent. "This will be a one-on-one battle, League rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to lowest level Pokemon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"

Argent gripped his pokeball tightly, then threw it. "Honedge!"

Rhodes threw a pokeball as well. "Marowak!"

A cascade of light erupted from both pokeballs like waterfalls and the Pokemon appeared.

Argent recognized Marowak: a tan pokemon with a skull on it's head like a helmet and a bone in it's hand as it's weapon.

Argent brought out his Pokedex and raised it so the scanner could see Marowak. A hologram displaying Marowak's stats appeared, accompanied by a robotic voice:

" _M_ _arowak, The Bone Keeper Pokemon. It is small and was originally very weak. Its temperament turned ferocious when it began using bone it holds is its key weapon. It throws the bone skillfully like a boomerang to KO targets. Level 50. Moves Known: Bone Rush, Bone Club,_ _Double-Edge, and Dig. Ability: Rock Head._ _"_

 _It's ability is Rock Head._ Argent thought. _So Rhodes can spam Double-Edge without the normal recoil damage. And three of it's moves are Ground Type moves... Which are Super Effective on Honedge. Combined with it's advanced Level, it could take my Honedge out in one hit. The only way to win this is to dodge everything and wear Marowak down._ _The Pokedex says that his Defense is higher than it's Special Defense, so I should use Special Attacks. And-_

"The first move goes to Argent!" Amber announced, pulling Argent out of his thoughts. "Battle, begin!"

Argent didn't hesitate. "Automize, then Metal Sound!"

Honedge unsheathed his body and began to glow with a silvery aura. That aura then turned green, and Argent heard a ringing sound in his ears.

Marowak covered it's ears desperately, screwing it's face up.

"Now, Shadow Ball!" Argent commanded.

A ball of dark violet energy formed in front of Honedge. He launched the attack across the field at Marowak.

"Marowak, Bone Club!" Rhodes yelled with a manic grin.

Marowak swung it's bone and strick the ball with a great force. It shot toward Honedge, who dodged it by a hair.

"Now, Bone Rush!" Rhodes yelled. Marowak turned into a tan blur as it cut through the air, poised to swing it's bone like a bat.

"Dodge!" Argent yelled. Honedge, also a blur, zoomed to the side and out of the way.

"Yeah! Go Argent!" Braedon yelled. "Kick his ass!"

"Double-Edge!" Rhodes yelled. "Get 'em, Marowak!"

"Dodge!" Argent cried.

Marowak began to glow. It tried to ram into Honedge, but he dodged the attack with just as much room as the first time.

"Keep using Double-Edge!" Rehides yelled.

"Dodge!" Argent commanded. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and found sweat. He was sweating? Since when did he sweat out of nerves?

On the field, neither Honedge nor Marowak were letting up. Honedge kept dodging each of Marowak's attacks. Was Argent imagining it, or was Marowak getting closer with each miss?

 _I_ _have to go on the offensive. If Honedge shoots Marowak when he is rushing at him, tgen Mariwak won't be able to dodge. I just have to wait._ Argent thought. He waited until Marowak rushed forward again. "Shadow Ball!" he called.

Honedge shot another Shadow Ball at Marowak, hiting it in the chest and knocking it off it's feet.

"Yes!" Amber cheered, forgetting that she was supposed to be impartial as the referee. "Nice one, Argent!"

"You can do it Argent! We believe in you!" Braedon screamed, cuping his hands around his mouth.

Argent felt a smile spread across his face. It was a odd feeling, one that started deep in his gut, then moved outward to his body. He felt lighter, more confident.

Three realizations hit him at once.

One: It didn't matter if he won, because his friends were cheering him on and he wasn't going home no matter the outcome.

Two: He had _friends._

Three: He was happy.

"Argent..." Rhodes said with a smirk. "Are you smiling?"

Argent nodded."I am just picturing your defeat! Now, while Marowak is down! Use Shadow Ball!" Argent commanded.

Honedge shot a Shadow Ball at Marowak.

"Dodge, then Bone Rush!" Rhodes yelled.

Marowak rolled away from the attack and stood up in one swift movement, poised to attack. It then rushed forward.

"Dodge!" Argent yelled.

Honedge swerved to the left, avoiding the attack.

"Dig!" Rhodes yelled. Marowak jumped and dove downward, digging a hole as it went. It disappeared into the ground.

"Wait for it, Honedge!" Argent yelled. "Get ready!"

Honedge spun around, unsure of where Marowak was going to appear.

"Honedge," Argent called in his softest tone, one he wasn't aware he had. "It's okay. Calm down. Just focus on listening for Marowak."

Honedge nodded, then closed his eyes.

Marowak erupted from the ground to Honedge's right. It swung at Honedge with a determined look in it's eye.

Within the same second, Honedge turned and blocked the hit with his blade. The blade met the bone and stopped.

The two Pokemon were at a stalemate, each pushing against the other, waiting for the other to let up.

"You can do it, Honedge!" Amber yelled.

"Yeah," Braedon cried. "Don't give up!"

Marowak pushed forward, forcing Honedge to take move back an inch.

 _It may not matter if I win... But I'm still not giving up!_ Argent thought. "Keep pushing, Honedge!" he shouted.

"Don't let up, Marowak!" Rhodes yelled.

Then, to Argent's amazement, Honedge pushed forward and Marowak lost an inch.

 _He's trying so hard for me._ Argent realized. _Too hard._

"Honedge," Argent called out softly. "It's okay! You can stop. I won't be mad."

Honedge's eyes flickered to Argent... Then he stopped pushing and collapsed.

"The winner is Rhhodes Lancaster." Amber said quietly.

"Marow..." Marowak said wearily, then collapsed as well.

Argent ran to Honedge and lifted him into his arms. Taking great care not to touch the tassle, he sheathed Honedge's blade. Argent then pulled a pokeball off of his belt and returned his partner. "You did well." he told the pokeball.

"So did you, Broski." Rhodes said as he returned Marowak. "You actually caused Marowak to faint."

Amber and Braedon met them in the middle of the field.

"Nice battle." Braedon commented to Argent. His eyes, however, were on Rhodes, as if Braedon suspected Rhodes would do something.

Amber seemed to share the sentiment, if the look she gave Rhodes was any indication. But she too chose to ignore him. "You okay?" she asked Argent.

"Yes. I'm fine." Argent said tiredly.

"Not really." Rhodes said. "You still have a phone call to make, bro."

"Oh, shut up." Amber snapped.

"Yeah, he doesn't have to-" Braedon started.

"Yes, I do." Argent interupted morosely. He was no longer weary. All he felt now was a knot of anxiety and sadness deep in his gut.

* * *

"Son." Platine Lancaster said the moment he appeared above Argent's Holocaster. It was obvious to Argent that his father had been expecting the call. He showed no outward signs of worry- no wrinkled brow or frown. Just a disapproving line where his mouth should be. Argent hadn't expected any less, but it still hurt.

"Father... I..." Argent couldn't go on. How did one go about telling their father that they would be a disappointment? How does one start that conversation?

"Do not mince words, Argent." Platine said sternly.

That floored Argent. " _Do not mince words."._ That was one of Father's most enforced rules. One Argent had lived by. A month ago, Argent lived by Father's rules like they were his religion.

So much had changed in the month that he had been traveling.

For some reason, that fact gave Argent the courage to say what he had called to say. "Father, I'm not coming home. Or going back to school."

"Argent-" Father said.

"No, Father." Argent couldn't believe he had done that. He had interrupted Father. "I'm going on a journey, then I'm going to college to get a degree. Then I'm going to challenge the Gyms and Elite Four and Champion."

"Argent," Father said calmly. "you are not throwing away your future for some ridiculous pipe dream like your brothers did-"

"It's not ridiculous." Argent snapped. "And it's more than just a dream. It's _my_ dream."

"Argent, this rebellion will not be tolerated." Father said. It was subtle, but Argent could hear a slight raise in his father's tone. "I will not lose you like I lost your brothers."

"My brothers did what made them happy." Argent argued. "And _you_ punished them for it. You did not lose them- you disowned them."

"

Argent, I did what I had to to protect you." Father said calmly.

"Protect me?" Argent echoed.

"Yes." Father said. "Austin and Rhodes were bad influences. If I kept them around tgey would have led you astray."

"It's a but late for that." Argent said humorlessly. "I _am_ astray, and it's neither of their faults. It is your's alone."

"Argent, is that what this is about? You are mad at me, so you are rebelling? If so, then you are being immature-" he asked.

"Stop making this about you Father!" Argent yelled. "This is about me, and _my_ dreams. What _I_ want."

"You do not want this Argent." Father said.

"No Father, _you_ do not want this" Argent said quietly. He met his father's eyes."You want a soldier, obedient and complacent. I am not that boy."

"Then who are you?" he asked. For the first time in the entire conversation, his voice showed emotion. He was challenging Argent.

Argent hung up. "I am Argent Lancaster, future Pokemon Champion." he said to the empty room.

* * *

That night, Amber and Braedon kept their distance. They didn't speak to him unless absolutely necessary. When they did speak to him, it was only to tell him that Rhodes had left while Argent had been on the phone.

Argent though it was ridiculous. He was not a child who needed to be coddled. He was an adult, albeit a young one, who could handle himself.

So he poored himself into locating more Pokemon on the list and ebtering their location on the digital map in his Pokedex. That would show them he was perfectly fine.

It was when he had finally retired for bed that they cracked.

"Argent," Amber said when he entered the room in his silk pajamas. "Do we need to talk?"

"No." Argent said, climbing into bed.

"But-" Braedon started.

"I am fine." Argent said. "Please shut off the light, so I can sleep."

A second later the light shut off.

Two seconds later, Argent rolled over.

Three seconds later, Argent couldn't take it anymore.

"Thank you." he said into the darkness.

The darkness did not reply, but Argent could almost hear Amber and Braedon's smiles.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So, Argent didn't go home! And he warmed up to them a little! Yay!_**

 ** _Fun fact: Argent, Platine, Austin, and Rhodes all have a theme to there first names. Can you figure it out? First one to do so gets to create there very own OC for this story! This OC will be featured as a major reoccurring character!_**

 ** _Hello? Anyone? No one cares? Oh well. Competition is still on._**

 ** _A/N2: someone won the competition, so yeah. I'm also using the ocs of my friends (like I did for my other story), so expect new characters!_**


	19. Chapter 19: Sapphire

Amber didn't even try to be subtle about what she was doing.

"Pancakes?" Braedon asked as he sat down at one of the Pokemon Center tables, where Amber was waiting with three plates of pancakes, a plate of fruit, and several containers of syrup. "You spoil me."

"Did you cook this?" Argent asked, sliding into the booth next to Braedon.

Braedon burst into a fit of laughter.

"H-her? Cook?" he sputtered. "As if."

"Shut it." she warned him.

"I'm sorry, is anything I'm saying wrong?" Braedon said.

"No." she admitted.

"Don't be mean, Braedon." Argent chided. "So, did you buy these?"

Amber nodded. "They're from a store on Callahan street."

Argent took a bite, then swallowed. "Thank you, Amber. They're exquisite."

"Ooh, big word." Braedon said with his mouth full.

"Do you have to eat and talk?" Argent complained. "It is extremely crude."

Braedon let his tongue fall out of his mouth, chewed up pancake on it.

"Disgusting," Argent said, "Were you raised on a farm?"

"I sort of was," Amber said with a smile. "And I resent that comment."

"Oh. Sorry." Argent said. "But weren't you raised on a ranch?"

"We farmed too." she explained.

They finished their breakfast in comfortable silence, and Amber felt like doing a touchdown dance. She had been so worried about the two of them- after all that they had went through in the past week, she had expected their morale to be low. But neither boy seemed terribly upset.

They finished their meal after ten or so minutes, then cleaned up.

Amber noticed something when Argent stood up. "Argent... Are you wearing jeans?"

It was true. Argent wore a light gray button-up sweater and a darker gray bowtie. And jeans.

"Only because this ruffian's-" he jerked a thumb at Braedon "- Sableye destroyed my clothes and this is all I had left."

"Oh, calm down!" Braedon said, taking the time to fix Argent's crooked bowtie. "I made you look great!"

"Are you implying that I looked bad before?" Argent asked.

"Pfft. No. I did not say that? Did I, Amber?" Braedon asked.

Amber smirked. "You kind of implied it, Brae."

"Traitor." Braedon accused.

Argent sighed. "Let's just go." he said. "We're already off schedule."

"Then why rush?" Braedon said. "We should explore more! We're in the best city of Kalos! And we've only seen a bit of it."

"But we have a scheldule-" Argent started.

"I'm with Braedon." Amber said. "This is the heart of Kalos. We need more time to explore. We haven't even seen Lumoise Tower yet."

"Please?" Braedon begged, lacing his hands together.

Amber copied his motion. "Please? Please, please?"

They both started to chant. "Please, please, please!"

"Fine," Argent interrupted. "We will postpone leaving. But you have a day. No more."

"Yay!" Braedon cheered. "Thanks Argent!"

They packed up their stuff and left the Center.

"Where to first?" Amber said to her friends as they entered the crowds outside.

"Lumoise Tower is pretty close." Argent said. "So why not there?"

"I'm fine with that." Braedon said. "As long as we stop by the stone shop on Vernal Avenue. I want to buy snacks for Sableye."

Argent pulled out his Pokedex and switched on the Holo-map. A holographic map appeared above his Pokedex. "Okay, so if go left we will be on Vernal Avenue, which leads to the stone shop, then Lumoise Tower."

They started to walk, weaving through the crowds. Braedon grabbed Argent's arm in front of him and Amber's hand behind him to keep them from getting separated.

After stepping on several feet and nearly getting knocked over twice, they managed to make it to the Stone Shop. Braedon bought some gems for Sableye while Amber and Argent browsed the shelves.

"Ready to go?" Amber asked Braedon when he walked up to them.

Braedon nodded. "Yeah, I'm good-"

Suddenly the door to the shop burst open. A girl burst into the small room, her brown hair a mess and her blue eyes murderous. A ice blue pokemon on four legs trotted by her side, looking equally as mad.

"You-" she pointed at the shop keeper. "Sold me _junk._ "

The man, a portly fellow with more hair on his chin than his head, grinned lazily. "No refunds, girlie. You bought it, your problem."

"What's going on?" Amber asked her.

The girl glared at Amber. "Stay out of this." she turned to the man. "You're going to give me back my money, or-"

"How much was it?" Braedon said. "The thing he sold you?"

The girl turned to glare at him. "40,000 Poké!" she snapped.

Braedon scratched his chin. "Huh. That's a lot."

"I know, idiot." the girl said. "That's why he's going to give it back to me. Every. Last. Cent."

The man grinned. "And who's gonna make me, sweetie? You?"

"I'm not 'sweetie'," she said, "I'm Sapphire. And I might."

"I do not think it would be wise to start a fight here." Argent said.

"Who asked you?" Sapphire snapped at him. "I'll do what I want!"

"C'mon." Braedon said, grabbing Amber's arm. "Let's just leave it."

Argent nodded. "Yes, I think it would be wise to leave. Before we get involved in a brawl."

Braedon led them outside, and literally a second later the girl, Sapphire, stormed out behind them.

"Wait." Amber said, pulling away from Braedon. She approached the girl. "Okay. Tell me what's going on."

Sapphire looked at her. "And why should I tell you?"

"Because we can help." Amber said kindly.

Sapphire kept her eyes locked on Amber. "I bought a Mega Stone for Glaceon. It doesn't work. I want my money back. End of story."

"You do realize that Glaceon can't Mega Evolve?" Argent pointed out.

"Now I do! I was desperate!" Sapphire said defensively. "I needed to get stronger quickly."

"Why?" Braedon asked.

The girl shook her head. "N-none of your business! I need to- I have to go!"

She held out her arms and Glaceon jumped into them. She then turned and barreled into the crowd.

"Wait- don't leave-" Amber called after her. But she was already long gone.

"It is okay, Amber." Argent said. "She clearly does not want help."

"I know..." Amber said in an concerned tone. "But she seemed so upset..."

Braedon shrugged. "Not our problem. C'mon. Let's just go to Lumoise Tower."

Going to Lumoise Tower was a bad idea. That became evident quickly.

There was a crowd of angry people standing outside the Gym, each chanting different things. Most of them held a sign. Amber read one:

" _Down with Dragons!"_ it said.

" _Farewell Fairies_!" another said.

Another said " _No more heathen types!"_

Amber looked at her friends. "What is going on?"

"It looks like a protest of some sort." Argent said. "An angry one."

"I don't know what's going on, but I'm pissed." Braedon said. He pointed to a sign bearing a drawing of the legendary Pokemon Darkrai. Only it looked...

"Is that Darkrai dead?" Amber asked.

Braedon nodded. "It is, and I'm gonna kick someone's ass."

"It's not the only one." Argent said. His voice was even, but his eyes looked horrified. "Look."

He was right. Amber saw a sign depicting a Sylveon with large gashes on it. It was bleeding out on the ground with a stake in it's heart.

Amber put a hand over her mouth. She felt woozy. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Whoa girl." Braedon said. He and Argent put their hands on her shoulders to steady her. She hadn't even realized she was falling.

 ** _A/N: what's wrong with Sapphire? And what's with the crazy crowd? Read and review to find out!_**

 ** _A/N 2: I now have four new OCs! I got one from the winner of my contest (JapaneseRockerGirl on Fanfiction) and three from other contestants who came close or just had a fun answer. I am no longer taking OCs, and I'm gonna try my best to use my other OCs. The reason I needed them was that I realized that Amber and co. weren't meeting actual people on their journey, so I thought it would be fun to get those people from my friends and readers!_**

 ** _A/N 3: The girl featured in this chapter is an OC submitted by my friend Andy (_** DinozordsGoRawr on quotev ** _)!_**


	20. Chapter 20: Arceus and Alleos

Amber woke up to a pounding headache.

She opened her eyes, then closed them immediately. The light was way to bright.

"You're awake?" a familiar female voice said. Amber couldn't match the voice with an identity.

Amber went still. Where was she? And who was that? Where were her friends?

"I know you're awake, so it's no use trying to fake sleeping." the voice said. "Do you understand?"

Amber nodded without opening her eyes.

"I-is she awake?" another voice asked. Amber recognized that voice.

"Braedon!" Amber cried, opening her eyes.

The lights hurt, but not as much as when she first woke. She sat up quickly, then grabbed her head when it started to throb.

"Are you okay?" Another voice asked. Argent.

"I'm fine." Amber said in a scratchy voice. She looked around. She was on a bed in her dorm at the Pokemon Center. By her beside was Braedon, Argent, and - Sapphire?

Yep, it was Sapphire. She wore a black and white striped top, teal skirt, and a scowl.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Braedon said. "Cause that was a nasty fall."

Oh. The fall. It all came back to Amber. The protesters, the posters, fainting in her friend's arms.

"I'm fine." Amber repeated. Braedon gave her a stern look. "Okay. Fine. My head's killing me and I feel woozy. Happy?"

"I can handle that." Sapphire said.

Sapphire pulled out a Pokeball and opened it with the press of a button. A small, spring green Pokemon with a green flower on it's head appeared in a cascade of light. A Petilil

"Aromatherapy, Lily." Sapphire commanded.

Amber opened her mouth to ask what was going on, but got a mouthful of bitter powder. Lily the Petilil shook it's body, covering Amber in the stuff.

"Eww! Gross!" Amber moaned.

"The powder is to help you-" Sapphire started.

"Heal, I know." Amber said. "But it got in my mouth! Eww!"

"How's it taste?" Braedon asked, the corner of his lips twitching.

"Shut up." Amber told him. She felt better already. Her headache was gone, and she felt wide awake and energized. Now, if she could just do something about the taste in her mouth...

"Are you okay now?" Sapphire asked. She didn't sound worried- impatient was a better word.

"I-I guess." Amber said. _As long as I don't think of those pictures._ She thought with a shiver.

"Good." Sapphire said in a tone that meant business. "Then I have a question for you-"

"Let her rest." Braedon insisted. "Save your stupid proposal for later."

"Proposal?" Amber asked. She blushed and averted her eyes. "I'm not ready to get married... Though I'm thankful you helped me..."

"Not that kind of proposal!" Sapphire exclaimed. She was blushing as well. "I meant that I needed a favor in exchange for me healing you."

"Oh. What is it?" Amber said, leaning back on her elbows.

"I need you to train me." she said.

"Huh?" Amber asked. That was not what she had expected _at all._

"I need to be stronger." Sapphire said. "And you three are strong."

"I'm not that strong. And how do you even know us?" Amber asked.

"She saw us on the news," Argent explained. "They did a story on the Florges incident."

"See? I knew I recognized you guys from somewhere!" Sapphire said. "So I looked you guys up on the Holonet, and found out about the Prodigy Program and the thing with Talonflame and the bartle with that Rotom-"

"How?" Amber asked.

Sapphire pulled out her Holocaster and typed something in. She then handed it to Amber.

Amber inspected the website. It was a blog with Amber, Argent, and Braedon's pictures as the header. The title was "Pokemon Prodigies".

"We have a fan blog?!" Amber nearly screeched.

Braedon sighed. "Check out the creator." he slid next to Amber and pointed to the corner of the page. Their was a picture of a Minccino caption "Austin Martin."

"Austin..." Amber thought about the name. "Isn't that your brother, Argent?"

"That's his name, " Argent said, "But that's not him. Don't you remember? Austin, the kid who kidnapped Vivillon and nearly got killed by Talonflame?"

"Oh, that jerk..." Amber said as it dawned on her.

"Told you he was our fanclub." Braedon said with a slight smile.

"See?" Sapphire said. "Someone else thinks that you're strong."

"We're really not that special," Amber said, handing the Holocaster back. "You should ask the Gym Leader-"

"I would have," Sapphire said grumpily, "If he were here. But he's on vacation with his family. That's why those protesters ate out there. They know that with him gone, no one cam effectively stop them."

Amber frowned. "Someone has to. They're insane!"

Sapphire nodded. "I know! That's why I need to get stronger. To stop them."

"That's even more insane." Amber said.

Braedon nodded. "I tried to tell her that."

"As did I." Argent said.

"Why would you even want to do something like that?" Amber asked.

Sapphire looked forlorn. She pulled out a pokeball from her belt.

"C'mon." she said to Amber. "I want to show you something."

* * *

Sapphire led them down the hall, through a set of double doors, into the main lobby. She then directed them to another set of double doors adjacent to the one that led to their dorms.

"Through here." she said quietly.

Sapphire led them through the doors, nodding at the nurse as she did. She led them down another hall, passing several rooms along the way. Finally, she stopped at a door.

"This is Cray." she said quietly, pushing open the door.

Amber nearly vomited.

Lying in a tank of water was a blue serpentine Pokemon with a blue orb at it's tail. Amber knew it was a Dragonair.

But this one was so heavily bandaged, only it's head and orb was visible.

"They did this." Sapphire said. She was shaking slightly. Despite this, her voice was level. "Those protesters. The Hallowed Church."

"The Hallowed Church?" Argent said. "That group sent someone to attack us and steal our Pokedexes."

Sapphire nodded. "And you defeated her. That's why I need you guys to help me beat them."

Argent shook his head. "I do not know what Austin wrote about us, but it is probably exagerated. I barely beat her, and I had to use uncouth tactics to do it."

Amber finally found her voice. "Why? Why would they attack your Dragonair?"

"They hate Dragon Types." Sapphire said. "Here. Read this." she pulled a Holo-Pamphlet out of her pocket. "I got it from the protesters."

Braedon took it and pressed play.

" _The story of Alleos and Arceus."_ a gruff male voice said. " _I am Arch Bishop Pierce of the Pure Snow, and this is the story of the Hallowed Church._

 _"'Millions of Years ago, Their was one man who was so much more than a man. Alleos. He created an egg. That egg hatched into Arceus, the Alpha Pokemon._

 _"'But Arceus was lonely. So Alleos created Pokemon of great power to rule with him. They were of the Types Water, Fire, Flying, Normal, Fighting, Steel, Ground, Rock, Ice, Electric, and Grass. These were the Pure Types._

 _"'But Arceus grew lonelier still. So Arceus created Legendaries of new Types: Dragon, Psychic, Dark, Fairy, Ghost, Bug, and Poison._ _The Impure Types._ _These Pokemon were not created by Alleos, and thus were not touched by his light. They are evil._

 _"'Alleos found out about this_ _betrayal, of course. So he banished_ _Arceus and all the Pokemon to Earth. Alleos then decreed that all who loved him and spurned the Impure Types would be forever welcome back into the realm of Alleos.'_

 _"This is why we must not soil ourselves with Impure Pokemon." The voice said. "Only by respecting our Lord's wishes can we join him after our deaths. That is the mission of The Hallowed Church."_

Braedon closes the Hallow Pamphlet.

"That's... Terrible." Amber choked out.

Sapphire just nodded, herceyes still on Cray.

"Who do they think they are?" Braedon snapped. "No Pokemon is inherently evil just because of their Typing."

"And calling them 'evil' is just ignorant." Argent supplied. "We don't even know if Pokemon have the same moral system we do. They may not even know good or evil."

Sapphire nodded again, a tear in her eye. "They attacked my Dragonair..." she croaked. "I found it beaten in a cave, and had to fight them off to save it. But I couldn't beat them. I had to put Dragonair into a pokeball and run. The doctors say it might not be able to battle for months." she clenched her fists.

Amber covered her mouth. "How could anyone be so horrible?" she asked. "Attacking a Pokemon... Injuring it... It's just _wrong._ "

They all went silent after that. Amber could feel anger coming off of Braedon and Argent, but all she felt was disgust.

" _Down with Dragon!"_

Amber clasped Tyrunt's pokeball on her belt. She thought of him. All the memories they had shared. The nights staying up late together, the days working on the ranch together. If something had happened to him the way it did to Cray...

Amber wiped her eyes and set her jaw. "We can't let them get away with this!" she said angrily.

Sapphire clenched her fists. "Exactly. If we do, they'll just keep hurting Pokemon."

"And what are you two going to do?" Argent said. "Battle each of those protesters? They're must be hundreds of them."

Braedon nodded. "He's right... But we can't just sit here and do nothing either. Remember the trainer motto?

"It's our job to help those in need." Braedon said quietly. "That means Pokemon too. If we let them get away with this, we're just letting them hurt others."

"But what can we do?" Argent asked.

Amber didn't have an answer, and none of the others seemed to either. So they just let the question hang in the air.

* * *

Sapphire never felt more empty than she did when she cut through the alley way to get back to her hotel. The Pokemon Center was full of trainers, so they had no room for her. There were other Pokemon Centers in town, but they were too far away for her to get to Cray easily.

"At least I'm not alone..." she sighed to Snowflake, her Glaceon. And it was true. She wasn't alone. She had her Pokemon, and Amber, Braedon, and Argent were just around the corner.

Then why did she feel so vunerable?

"Hello, sweetheart."

Sapphire whipped around. Standing mere feet behing her was a man. He had tan skin and dark, slick hair. He wore a dress shirt with the top three buttons undone and black dress pants.

"G-get away from me!" she cried. She took a step back, and Snowglake jumped in front of her protectively. She growled at the man.

"Stop playing with her, Rios." another voice said, this one deep and female.

Sapphire looked behind her, and saw a beautiful woman with flaming red hair and yellow eyes that seemed to glow brightly.

"You take the fun out of everything, Scarlet." Rios said with a pout.

"Leave me alone!" Sapphire said, grabbing a pokeball from her belt.

Scarlet took a step back and pulled a pokeball from her belt as well. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Yeah." Rios said. "It wouldn't be very wise. Considering that we outnumber you."

"Who are you?" Sapphire asked.

"I am Bishop Rios of the Relentless Rain." Rios said.

"And I am Bishop Scarlet of the Flickering Flame." Scarlet said.

"No one escapes the Hallowed Church." Rios said, pulling out a pokeball. "Prepare to be Purified."

Sapphire gulped.

* * *

 _ **A/N: What will our heroes do about the Hallowed Church? And will Sapphire be okay? Read and review to find out!**_

 _ **A/N 2: I don't mean to offend anyone by making the villains religious. I just wanted to explore how religion would work in the Pokemon world and how it would connect to Pokemon. This will not be the only religion to show up in either of my stories.**_

 ** _A/N 3: Sorry about all the mistakes. I have a Beta, but she isn't caught up with my story. I think she just fixed chapter 14, so she has some catching up to do. It's my fault for getting a beta 19 chapters in._**

 _ **A/N 4: Now that I've introduced every member of the Hallowed Church (well, the important ones) in either this story or my other story (mostly my other story), I'm gonna explain their roles. The church is led by 11 individuals, called the Holy Legion, who each represent a "Pure" type. Here they are-**_

 _ **Head Priest- Is the leader of the Legion, and thus the whole Church. Runs the Church like a monarchy, and is the most powerful of the group. Gale is the Current Head Priest, and she specializes in Flying Types.**_

 _ **Arch Bishops- The Head Priest's three advisors. They are the second most powerful. The Arch Bishops are: Masa (Electric Types), Andreas (Rock Types) and Arthur (Steel Types).**_

 _ **Bishops- Seven individuals who serve the Arch Bishops. Each. Arch Bishop has two Bishops under their control, and The Head Priest has one.**_  
 _ **Masa's Bishops: Volterre (Ground) and Joseph (Normal)**_  
 _ **Andreas' Bishops: Scarlet (Fire) and Rios (Water)**_  
 _ **Arthur's Arch Bishops: Cedar (Grass) and Pierce (Ice)**_  
 _ **Gale's Bishop: Mulan (Fighting).**_

 _ **The Repented- Basically everyone else. They are foot soldiers and grunts for the Holy Legion, but are not a part of the Holy Legion**_


	21. Chapter 21: Captive

"Why do you need to know about the Hallowed Church?" Sycamore asked Amber. She had called him right after Sapphire left.

"A friend of ours was attacked and-" Amber started.

Sycamore paled. "Your friend was attacked? And your sure it was them?"

"She seemed sure." Braedon said.

"Where is she now?" Sycamore asked urgently.

"Why, Professor?" Argent asked. "What is wrong?"

"You must find her immeadiately!" Sycamore cried. "She is in danger!"

Amber felt her heart accelerate. "What?" Amber asked.

"The Hallowed Church has a reputation." Sycamore said. "They leave no survivors. If she escaped them..."

"Then they'll be after her." Argent finished. "Professor, we have to go."

Amber hung up and turned to her friends. "I don't have her number!" she cried. "But the Hotel she's staying at isn't that far away. Especially if we take a cab."

* * *

Rios didn't want to make this call. He especially didn't want to make it in a place as dark and putrid as the place they were in.

"Why do I have to do it?" he whined, holding his nose.

Scarlett rolled her eyes lazily. She was filing her nails with a glare, as if they had personally offended her. "Because I don't want to." she didn't seem affected by the smell at all. Not to mention she was filing her nails in the dark.

He snorted. "As long as it's fair..."

Rios dialed the number. Andreas picked up automatically.

"Yes? Did you fix your screw up?" he asked before he could say anything.

"Hello to you too." Rios muttered.

"Don't sass me, Rios." Andreas chided. "Did you find her?"

"Yes, we got the girl who escaped." Rios said. "But that's not why I'm calling."

"Then why?" Andreas asked.

"Well, while we were surveying the girl, we saw her with three certain individuals." Rios said.

"You mean those Fairy brats who took down Masa? Gale told us to just leave them alone." Andreas said.

"No, not them." Rios said. This is why he was so hesitant to call. Andreas was always looking for a reason to berate them. "The three trainers who Sycamore entrusted with the Pokedexes. The ones who took down Mulan."

"Oh, them. Gale hates them." Andreas said, his interest piqued. "What are they odds that they would be here? Gale was just about to send another operative after them. But if our team can bring the Pokedexes in and save Gale the trouble..."

"Just what I was thinking." Rios said eagerly. "So, are you giving us the green light?"

"Yes. I will call Gale and tell her." Andreas said. Then, in a louder voice, he said: "And Scarlett is in charge."

"Do I have to?" Scarlett said boredly, inspecting her nails.

"Yes, Scarlett." Andreas said. "I don't want this screwed up."

"Then why is Rios here?" Scarlett asked, showing amusement only in her eyes. She didn't smile.

"Haha. Funny." Rios glowered at her. "Almost as funny as the thought of me listening to you."

"Behave, you two." Andreas said before he hung up.

"Alright." Scarlett said. "My first order of business as leader... Is to put you in charge. Do whatever."

Rios clapped his hands together. "Yay! We're going to have so much fun with these children!"

Scarlett almost smiled at that.

* * *

"You're sure you haven't seen that girl?" Amber asked the receptionist again.

"Look," she said. "According to my computer, a Sapphire Anderson never checked in. Sorry."

Amber turned back to her friends, moving out of the way as she did so, so the people behind her in line could talk to the receptionist.

"Any luck?" Amber asked Braedon.

He shook his head. "Nope. She's not picking up het Holo."

"Soshe never checked in last night," Argent said, "and she isn't picking up her Holo. That makes the chances of her being in danger high. We should call the police now."

Braedon nodded, then started dialing. But then he stopped as his ring started to play. "She's calling!" he gasped.

"Answer it!" Amber said urgently.

Braedon gave her a look. "No Amber, I think I'm just gonna hang up- of course I'm answering it!"

He put the phone to his ear. "Sapphire? Where are you? I know we're not friends ir anything but you could at least pick up when I call-" he stopped, and the blood drained from his face.

"What is wrong?" Amber asked.

He hung up the phone.

"Braedon, what is it?" Argent asked. "Is she okay?"

Braedon shook his head. "No. And neither are we."

"What?" Amber asked.

"The person on the phone..." Braedon started. "Wasn't Sapphire. It was her kidnapper. He says that he wants us to meet him with our Pokedexes or he'll kill Sapphire. And if we call the police, she dies."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Will they be able to save Sapphire? And what are Rios and Scarlett planning? Read and review to find out!"**_

 _ **A/N 2: Sorry about such a short chapter.**_ ** _Originally it was twice as long, but then I reread the latter half of the chapter (the start of the battle) and hated it. So I'm reposting it as a new chapter later on this week. Sorry guys. It's just I really wanted to post as many chapters as possible before school starts, and now I think I'm barely going to post any. Grr._**


	22. Chapter 22: Into the Sewers

The blood drained from Braedon's face.

"What's wrong?" Amber asked worriedly.

He hung up the phone.

"Braedon, what is it?" Argent asked. "Is she okay?"

Braedon shook his head. "No. And neither are we."

"What?" Amber asked.

"The person on the phone..." Braedon started. "Wasn't Sapphire. It was her kidnapper. He says that he wants us to meet him with our Pokedexes or he'll kill Sapphire. And if we call the police, she dies."

Amber covered her mouth. "No..."

"Why do they want the Pokedexes so bad?" Argent wondered.

"Does it matter?" Braedon responded shakily. "We have to give them up. If we don't, that poor girl is in danger."

"Maybe they're bluffing." Amber said hopefully. "Maybe they won't kill her."

Braedon shook his head. "We can't take that chance. And besides, they tried to kill Sapphire's Dragonair. I'm sure they won't have any problem hurting her."

"Then we must go." Argent said. "Even if it means losing the Pokedexes and our scholarship. Braedon, where are we supposed to meet them?"

"They sent me a Holo-map." Braedon said. "We have to follow it."

Amber nodded. "Lead the way."

Braedon hailed another cab, and the three piled in.

"To the corner of Verde street and Main." he said. "Please hurry, it's an emergency!"

The cabbie nodded, accepting Braedon's credit card, then hitting the gas.

Amber looked at her friends, and it hit her. This was it. If they gave up their Pokedexes, then the Prodigy Program was over. No more adventures with them. Her and Braedon would head back to school, and Argent would go home to his father and probably become a doctor. Without her sending money home, the Ranch would close down.

Argent. Braedon. Sapphire. Cray. Amber's family. With a few simple actions, The Hallowed Church would hurt them all. And Amber was powerless to do anything to stop them.

A tear fell down before Amber could prevent it.

"Amber..." Braedon said softly. "It's okay. We'll save her."

"I know," Amber croaked. "But then what? We'll be going home. It'll all be over. All because those stupid bigots think they can do whatever they please in the name of their beliefs."

"It's not having the beliefs that are the problem," Argent spoke up. "It's using them to justify hurting people and Pokemon."

"I know that..." Amber said. "I just wish there was a way to beat them, _and_ save Sapphire. I don't want them to win."

"They're stronger than us." Argent said. "I only barely beat Mulan, and it certainly wasn't a fair battle."

"But we can't just let them win." Amber insisted.

"Am... We have no choice." Braedon said. "We can't let them hurt Sapphire."

"I know that." Amber said. "And I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me. But I still can't accept that this is it... I know it's selfish to make this about us when Sapphire is the one in danger... But I don't want our adventure to be over yet. And I don't want Sapphire to be hurt."

Braedon opened his mouth to respond, then closed it sadly. Argent didn't respond at all.

The sat like that, in oppressive silence, for the rest of the ride.

* * *

"We're here." the cabbie told them. They paid him and got out of the cab.

Amber looked around. This part of town was abandoned, with barely anyone around. The buildings all were empty and/or foreclosed. Amber shivered. The silence felt foreboding, especially after being surrounded by so much people and noise during their stay in Lumoise.

"Where are they?" Amber wondered aloud.

"The Holo-Map says that it's here." Braedon said.

"Look around for some clues," Argent suggested. "There has to be something."

Amber and Braedon nodded, and began their search. Amber began to check inside the buildings, but most of them were boarded up and derelict.

"Amber, Braedon, over here!" Argent called. They ran over to him.

He pointed to the ground, to a man-hole. The lid was ajar.

"You guys don't think..." Braedon said.

Argent nodded. "It is the most likely option. Help me lift it."

Amber, Argent, and Braedon each grabbed a side and lifted the cover.

"Ladies first." Braedon said to Amber. She gave him a look, then lowered herself down the ladder into the hole.

Amber climbed down, leaping off of the steps into the cavern as she did. The only light was from the man-hole. At least it didn't smell as bad as she thought. Then again, she was used to bad smells thanks to growing up on a Ranch. _Her_ _room_ smelled worse sometimes.

Amber pulled out her pokedex and turned on the TM function. She scrolled through it as Braedon and Argent lowered themselves down, stopping at the TM for Flash.

"Go, Vivillon!" Amber said as she threw a pokeball into the air. Vivllon appeared.

"Vivill!" she said. She sounded obviously disgusted.

"It's okay." Amber told her. She pointed the pokedex at Vivillon and pressed the button. It glowed and vibrated, then shot a beam of light at Vivillon.

"Now Vivillon, use Flash!" Amber commanded.

Vivillon nodded, then began to glow, illuminating the cavernous sewer.

"Why are these sewers so big?" Braedon wondered.

"The Lumoise sewer system dates back to hundreds of years ago." Argent informed them. "Since then, Kalos governments have enlarged the system to cover the city's population. These sewers are famous. They have been featured in a myriad of literature and films."

"So they're famous for being big?" Amber said.

"And smelly." Braedon said, covering his nose.

Argent nodded in agreement. "Yes. Why would The Hallowed Church chose such a place?"

"It's big enough for a battle if we try to resist," Amber explained. "And it's isolated enough to not draw attention."

"Who cares? Let's just go." Braedon said.

Argent nodded. "We have to save Sapphire."

Braedon led the way as the three of them and Vivillon trudged through the sewers.

After about three minutes of walking they came to an intersection of two tunnels, resulting in a giant cavern.

In the center of the cavern were three individuals:Sapphire, who was wrapped by a serpentine Pokemon that Amber knew was called Milotic, A man with perfectly styled black hair and deep blue eyes, and a woman with fiery red hair that cascaded down her brown top like molten lava down the side of a volcano. On her right sat a flaming Pokemon called Infernape.

"Amber..." Sapphire said. She seemed to barely get the words out.

"She's in pain! Let her go!" Amber yelled.

"

Do you have what we're looking for?" the man asked.

Amber, Braedon, and Argent each pulled out their Pokedex.

In a flash, Infernape rushed forward and snatched the Pokedexes away, tgen jumped back to tge woman's side before Amber even had a chance to blink.

The man smiled. "Very well. You can have her. We already checked her Pokemon for Impure ones. She has none. And I'm assuming she released that draconic creature. Milotic, release her."

Milotic unraveled itself. Sapphire took a deep breath as the air returned to her lungs. She ran to them, but stumbled half way.

"Sapphire!" Amber ran and helped her up, pulling her towards them.

"Now, on to the next order of business." the man said.

"Next order of business?" Argent asked. "But you have our Pokedexes!"

He kept smiling. "True. But our we our representatives of our Church. And you three have Impure Pokemon."

Amber and her friends each reached for a pokeball on their belt.

"Don't be hostile." the woman said. "I don't feel like a battle today. Just permanantly release your Impure Pokemon and we'll be on our way.

"We're not releasing anything." Braedon growled.

"Fine then." the man said. "Shall we, Scarlett?"

The woman, Scarlett, nodded. "If we must. Do not get in my way, Rios."

Rios rolled his eyes. "Whatever. _You_ just stay out of _m_ y way."

"We don't want to battle." Amber said.

"You got what you wanted." Argent said. "Just let us go."

"Not going to happen." Rios said. "Now, prepare to feel the might of the Hallowed Church!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Who will win? Find out next time!_**

 ** _A/N 2: Fun fact, the Lumoise sewers are based on the Parisian (Paris) sewer system, which is famous for being huge._**


	23. Chapter 23: Prodigies vs Fire and Rain

Amber was starting to get really pissed at these two.

First they attack a poor pokemon. Then they kidnap her trainer and use her as a for Amber's pokedex. Then they demand that Amber and her friends release their Pokemon.

And now, standing in a cave with Sapphire's body against her own, Amber was ready to fight. Yeah, she was scared, but that fear was eclipsed by the fact that she was getting angrier by the second.

And that anger was clouding her judgement. She forgot how powerful they were, and how they were homocidal maniacs.

She just wanted to beat them.

"Now, prepare to feel the wrath of the Hallowed Church!" Rios yelled.

Sapphire pushed herself off of Amber. "You're going to pay for hurting my Dragonair!" she declared. "Go, Glaceon!"

"You're not getting our Pokemon. And you're giving back our Pokedexes." Amber said. She pulled a Pokeball from her belt and threw it. "Tyrunt, Ancient Power!"

"Snowflake, Avalanche!"

Tyrunt appeared and shot an array of rocks at Milotic and Infernape. Next to him, Snowflake created giant balls of ice above her and launched them as well.

"Dodge!" Rios and Scarlett yelled, Rios in an urgent voice, Scarlett in a calm one.

Milotic and Infernape dodged the rocks by bobing and weaving as they fell.

"Mach Punch." Scarlett commanded. Infernape jumped forward and swung it's fist.

"Aqua Tail!" Rios yelled. Milotic slithered forward and swung it's tail-

Braedon and Argent threw a pokeball each. Honedge and Sableye appeared.

Honedge blocked the tail attack with his blade while Sableye turned into a shadow and wrapped his body around Infernape, rendering it immobile.

"We did it!" Braedon cried.

"I don't think so." Scarlett said. She snapped her fingers.

Milotic pushed against Honedge's blade with it's tail, forcing Honedge to let up and fly backward.

Infernape grabbed Sableye's shadowy body and ripped it off, throwing him against the wall.

"Sable!" Sableye yelled as it collided with the sewer wall.

"Aurora Beam!" Rios yelled. Milotic shot a beam of rainbow light at them.

"Counter it with the same attack!" Sapphire screamed.

Snowflake jumped forward and the two attacks collided in an explosion of technicolor light.

"This is getting tiresome." Scarlett said. "Infernape, Flamethrower."

Infernape shot a column of flames at them.

"Tyrunt, block it!" Amber yelled.

Tyrunt jumped in front of the attack before it hit.

"Fire type moves barely do damage on a Rock and Dragon type like Tyrunt." Amber boasted. "Now, Stone Edge!"

Milotic and Infernape were thrown into the air as jagged boulders erupted from the ground.

"Shadowball!" Argent yelled.

"Nightshade!" Braedon cried.

Honedge and Sableye lifted themselves off the ground and launched their attacks.

Shadowball hit Milotic while Nightshade hit Infernape. Both Pokemon were flung against the upper wall, where they left a noticable indent before falling to the ground.

"These two aren't nearly as strong as Mulan." Argent noted.

They both returned their Pokemon and pulled out another Pokeball. "You'll pay for that remark, boy." Rios snarled.

"Did I at least get a good deal on it?" Braedon said sarcastically.

"Clawitzer, go!" Rios yelled, throwing a pokeball.

A blue Pokemon with a giant dark blue claw appeared.

At Amber's side, Sapphire stumbled.

"Sapphire!" Amber yelled, catching her. Braedon hastily grabbed her other side so both of them were supporting her.

"We have to get her away from here!" Amber told Braedon.

"You're not going anywhere!" Rios declared."Clawitzer, Water Pulse!"

It began to launch an array of blue orbs in quick succession, similar to a Bullet Seed attack.

"Dodge!" Braedon yelled.

Snowflake, Tyrunt, Sableye and Honedge, began to bob and weave to avoid the array of water attacks.

Amber grabbed Sapphire's arm. "C'mon! Leave this to my friends." Amber started to run, pulling a stumbling Sapphire along with her, Tyrunt and Snowflake running after them.

They ran down the dark hall, stumbling and tripping. Because Vivillon was still with Braedon and Argent, they could barely see.

Amber!" Amber felt Sapphire collide with her and they both fell to the ground.

Amber looked up just in time to see a jet of flame fly over her head. Sapphire had saved her .

Sapphire rolled off of Amber and the two of them stood up. In the dark they could barely see two sets of eyes.

"Flamethrower again, Archanine."

* * *

"Go after them!" Rios yelled. "I'll take care of these brats!"

Scarlett sighed. "If I must." she pulled out a pokeball from her belt and pressed the button. A hulking orange Pokemon with black stripes and a cream colored mane.

Scarlett got on it's back. "Follow them, Archanine." Archanine took off into the dark tunnel.

Meanwhile, Honedge and Sableye were still dodging Water Pulses

Braedon gritted his teeth. "How is he able to create so many so fast?"

"It's Clawitzer's ability, Mega Launcher." Argent said. "It powers up pulse based moves."

"That's not my only trick!" Rios yelled. "Now, use Dark Pulse!"

A thick beam of black light shot out of Clawitzer's cannon, cutting through the boulders left behind by Stone Edge and shooting towards Sableye, who turned into a shadow and sped out of the way.

"That's as big as a Hyper Beam!" Braedon yelled.

"Now do you see the power of the Hallowed Church!" Rios said. "Give up. You can't dodge forever. Water Pulse again!"

Another barrage of Water Pulses flew out of Clawitzer's cannon. Sableye and Honedge began to frantically dodge them again.

"Honedge! Knock them back at Clawitzer with your blade!" Argent yelled.

Honedge swung it's blade like a bat over and over as each Water Pulse shot towards them, knocking them back at Clawitzer.

The Water Pulses hit Clawitzer, knocking it into the wall.

"Now, while he's down! Nightshade, Sableye!"  
Sableye launched his attack- a beam of violet energy that moved in a zig zag pattern, respectively, which hit Clawitzer dead on.

Rios gritted his teeth. "Clawitzer, return!" he opened Clawitzer's pokeball and a red beam of light hit it, causing it to disappear.

"Just let us go." Braedon said. "You're losing this battle."

Rios pulled out another pokeball. "I'm not out yet. Poliwrath, Surf!"

A big blue creature with bulging muscles appeared and raised it's hands. A wave of water appeared and Argent had just enough time to grab onto Braedon before it hit both them and their pokemon.

Argent felt his body hit the wall of the sewer as they were flung back. Pain shot through his body and he opened his mouth instinctively. His lungs filled with water and he began to choke.

He blacked out not to long later.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Will Argent and Braedon be okay? What about Amber and Sapphire? Review/Comment to find out!**_


	24. Chapter 24: Belief

Every part of Braedon ached. He vaguely holding Argent and them remembered hitting... Something. A wall?

"Now, to finish off these nasty Impure types."

That shook Braedon out of his funk. Everything came back to him: Sapphire, the kidnapping, the battle. All of it.

Braedon sat up. Beside him, Argent was unconscious.

Braedon looked toward the source of the voice. He saw Rios hulking over Sableye and Honedge, Poliwrath at his side.

Braedon stood up shakily. "No!"

Then, suddenly, a gust of wind threw Rios and Poliwrath back.

"Vivillon!"

Braedon looked up. Vivillon flew above him, flapping it's wings to create the Gust attack.

"Damn Bug!" Rios yelled as he got up. "Poliwrath, get it!"

Poliwrath ran and jumped, trying to grab Vivillon, who flew just out of reach.

"Vivillon, use Psybeam!"

Thankfully Vivillon listened and flapped it's wings again. A beam of pink energy shot from it's antennas and hit Poliwrath, knocking it off it's feet.

 _Kecleon is still hurt... I can't use him._ Braedon bent down and grabbed a pokeball from Argent's belt. He opened it. "Vivillon, Klefki, Fairy Gust!"

Vivillon began to flap it's wings as Klefki appeared beside it and jingled it's keys. Together they created to gusts of wind, one pink and one silver, that became a vortex around Poliwrath, lifting it into the air and spinning it around furiously.

"Poliwrath!" Rios yelled.

Finally, the vortext ceased and Poliwrath fell to the floor.

"Return!" Rios yelled, pressing a button on Poliwrath's pokeball. Braedon reached down for Honedge's pokeball, then returned him and Sableye.

"You will pay for your insolence boy!" Rios yelled theatrically. "The light of Alleos shall prevail!"

Braedon looked at Argent's limp form, then at Sableye and Honedge's pokeballs.

He clenched his fist. "Shut up."

"You dare disrespect me, a member of the Holy Legion-"

Braedon took a step forward. "I said shut up!" Braedon roared. "You hurt my friend. You tried to take our Pokemon. You attacked Sapphire's friend. I'm done hearing it."

Rios raised a pokeball. Braedon could see that it was the last one on his belt. "Then let's battle."

Braedon braced himself. "Get ready." he told Vivillon and Klefki.

* * *

Amber could only watch helplessly as the fiery cyclone wrapped around Tyrunt and Glaceon.

"Snowflake!" Sapphire yelled. She seemed to be shaking.

Then, all of the sudden, water poured in and washed over them. Amber grabbed Sapphire as water poured in up to her knees and threatened to topple them over.

The water drained away, leaving the vortex gone. Tyrunt was still standing, but Snowflake had fainted.

Sapphire ran to her Pokemon and snatched it in her arms.

"It's a pity," Scarlett said, unperturbed by the water.

"What!?" Amber asked angrily. Sapphire just cradled Snowflake's head.

"Your Pokemon had to be hurt." Scarlett explained to Sapphire, ignoring Amber. "Even though it is Pure. Like the rest of your team. And you. Only the girl and her friends are targeted. But you... You just got in the way."

Sapphire looked up at her furiously, tears in her eyes.

"It is not in our Doctrine to hurt Pure Pokemon." Scarlett said, putting a hand on Arcanine's back. "Or trainers who have already been purified."

"What are you saying?" Sapphire choked out.

"That you may go." Scarlett said calmly. "You are no longer a enemy of the Church, and if you leave I will not pursue you."

Sapphire looked at her incredulously. "You expect me to just leave? Leave Amber here to die?"

"I won't kill Amber." Scarlett said. "Just purify her. It is none of your concern."

Sapphire stood up shakily, with Glaceon in her arms. "You're insane! I'm not leaving Amber-"

"Go." Amber said.

Sapphire turned to Amber. "But this is my fight too-"

"Sapphire, you're barely standing." Amber said. "Go. I'll handle this."

Amber looked Sapphire in the eye, willing her to understand. If Sapphire left, she could get the police and save them.

But she couldn't say that in front of Scarlett. She might not let Sapphire leave.

"Amber, I know we're not close or anything, but I'm not leaving." Sapphire said resolutely. "This is my fight. If anyone should leave, it's you."

"Do you even care about Snowflake?" Amber argued. "She's hurt. This is your chance to save her. Please. Do it for her."

Sapphire looked at Amber. "I..." she looked down at Snowflake. "Alright."

Sapphire looked at Scarlett with tears in her eyes. Her whole body was shaking. "I swear on my life I'll see you again, and I'll make you regret hurting Cray."

Scarlett surprised Amber by smiling slightly. "Of course."

Sapphire looked at Amber, then turned and ran shakily down a passage way.

Amber wasted no time attacking. "Tyrunt, Ancient Power!"

Tyrunt created a line of stones above him, then launched them at Arcanine.

"Arcanine, Dodge." Scarlett said lazily. Arcanine sprung forward before the rocks landed, narrowly dodging each one.

Amber could feel her head pounding. This wasn't going well.

Amber reached for a pokeball. "Tauros, Take Down!"

Tauros appeared in a flash of light and charged forward, ramming into Arcanine and lifting it up on its horns.

"Slam!" Amber yelled. Tauros skidded to a stop and rammed Arcanine into the water, cracking the concrete below it.

"Arcanine, Return." Scarlett said. She returned Arcanine to it's pokeball.

She yawned.

"What's wrong with you?" Amber demanded. "Why are you so indifferent?"

"Because I don't care." she said simply.

"Then why are you fighting," Amber asked. "If you don't care if your Church wins?"

Then Scarlett really surprised Amber. She laughed. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't care if my Church succeeds. I meant that I don't care that you defeated Arcanine. Because the Hallowed Church win no matter what."

"So you do believe what the Church says?" Amber asked.

"You mean that Impure Pokemon deserve to suffer?" Scarlett said. "If I didn't, I wouldn't of attacked that Dragon belonging to your friend."

Amber's blood began to boil. Beside her, Tyrunt growled. Tauros did the same.

"Sapphire was right." Amber said, seething. "You're going to regret doing that."

Scarlett smiled. "Am I?" she said tauntingly. It seemed she was finally interested.

Amber raised a pokeball. "Yes, you are!" she declared hotly. "You may believe that Impure/Pure Pokemon crap, but I don't. I believe that Pokemon and people are the product of their choices. And you made the wrong choice challenging me."

Scarlett kept smiling. She pulled out a pokeball. "Then I guess we'll let this battle decide who's beliefs are correct."

Scarlett threw the ball. "Go, Blaziken!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Who's ideals will prevail? Find out next week!_**

 ** _Yep, these chapters are now going to be weekly, as opposed to whenever I feel like it. The reason being is that I barely have time_** ** _with school and all._**

 ** _A/N 2: The new cover is done by hannahluvz on wattpad! Check her out!_**


	25. Chapter 25: So We Push Ourselves

Braedon wanted to do so many things at once

He wanted to run to Argent and make sure he was okay. He wanted run after Amber and help her. He wanted to shout at Rios more. He wanted to argue with Rios until Rios knew just what Braedon thought of this "Impure" crap.

But he would just settle for kicking Rios' ass.

"Go, Swanna!" Rios yelled. He threw a pokeball and oit of it flew a big white feathered Pokemon.

"Vivillon, Klefki, Fairy Gust combo!" Braedon commanded.

Vivillon began to flap her wings rapidly and Klefki shook his keys furiously. Two gusts of wind appeared, one pink and one silver, and swirled together to create a vortex that surrounded Swanna.

Swanna began to flap it's wings, reversing the flow of the wind and destroying the vortex.

 _Damn it!_ Braedon thought. _Swanna is too powerful._

"Now Swanna, use Brave Bird!" Rios yelled.

Swanna began to glow with a blinding blue aura. It rushed at Klefki and Vivillon.

"Dodge!" Braedon yelled. But he knew it was useless before he gave the command.

Swanna zipped forward and collided with Vivillon, then Klefki.

Both Pokemon cried out in pain and fell to the ground.

Rios smirked, his wild eyes focused on Braedon. "You're next."

Braedon gulped.

* * *

"Blazekin, show her the power of my belefs! The power of our Church!"

Amber looked at Tyrunt. "Get behind me." she told him. "You need to rest." Tyrunt nodded and backed up.

Amber turned to Tauros. "Tauros, use Take Down!"

Tauros charged forward, snorting angrily as it ran.

"Sky Uppercut!" Scarlet commanded.

Blazekin punched upward right as Tauros neared it, it's fist colliding with Tauros' chin, causing Tauros to fly upward and cry out in pain.

"Now, Flamethrower!" Blazekin shot a jet a of flames at Tauros, who took the hit in midair and fell into the water below.

"Tauros, are you okay?" Amber yelled. He got up slowly and snorted.

"Taur!" he pawed the ground furiously.

"Blaze Kick!" Scarlett commanded.

Blazekin's feet lit themselves on fire. It sprang forward and did a roundhouse kick to Tauros, who caught the strike with his horn and blocked it.

"Tauros!" he yelled. Tauros flung Blazekin's foot off of his horn and spun around, kicking Blazekin with it's hind legs and flinging it back into the wall.

"Now, while he's down!" Amber yelled. "Swagger!"

Tauros' tails began to swish back and forth.

Scarlett grinned. "Looks like someone knows how to play. But that's not enough to stop me. Blazekin, close your eyes."

Blazekin squeezed it's eyes shut.

"Now, use Flame Charge!"

Blazekin, eyes still closed rushed forward and collided with Tauros. Tauros was launched backward and flew across the cavern.

"Tauros!" Amber and Tyrunt ran to him. Tauros got up shakily.

"How did it-" Amber started.

Scarlett smirked. "My Blazekin has trained her senses to be sharper than most. Having one taken away is barely a hinderance."

Amber bit her lip. How could she beat an opponent like that?

"Now do you see?" Scarlett gloated. "The Church is to powerful for the likes of you."

Amber felt tears well up in her eyes. The burned, leaving a scorching path down her cheeks.

"You're wrong!" Amber yelled furiously. "I'll win and show you how that your ideals are wrong! Tauros, please!" Amber put a hand on his back. "We can't let a person like her win! If she does, more Pokemon will be hurt... More trainers will feel the way Sapphire did."

"Tauros!" Tauros cried. He snorted and nodded at Amber.

Beside her, Tyrunt growled at Scarlett and barred his fangs.

Amber pointed at Scarlett and Blazekin. "Take them down! Tauros, Tyrunt, go!"

* * *

"Kecleon, go!" Braedon yelled.

He pressed the white button and threw the pokeball. Kecleon appeared in an explosion of silver light.

"Kecleon..." Braedon said. "I know you're still recovering... But this is important! Can I count on you?"

Kecleon looked at Braedon and nodded, then turned to face Swanna. "Kecleon!"

"Swanna, destroy it! Brave Bird!" Rios yelled. Swanna became swathed in a blue aura and it charged forward.

Kecleon disappeared and Swanna zoomed through the place it had been standing.

"Look for a red stripe!" Rios yelled to Swanna.

Suddenly, Swanna cried out as it was jerked backward. Kecleon materialized below it, his tongue wrapped around Swanna's body.

"Too late!" Braedon declared. "Slam!"

Kecleon began to beat Swanna into the wall, and it cried out in pain.

"Swanna! Uproar!" Rios commanded.

Swanna began to thrash and scream, causing both Braedon and Kecleon to cover their ears as the sound came piercing through them.

"Don't let go!" Braedon yelled. "I know I'm asking a lot, but you have to try to hold on!"

Rios had covered his ears as well. "Keep using Uproar!"

Swanna began to thrash more.

"Kecleon!" Kecleon yelled in agony. "Kec!"

Then, the grip on Swanna lessened and Swanna fell to the ground. It didn't move.

Kecleon fell as well. Braedon ran to him.

"You have no more Pokemon on your belt." Rios said. He took a step forward, placing him over Sableye. He put his foot on the Pokemon.

"Get the fuck off of him!" Braedon yelled.

"It's over." Rios said calmly. "Give up and surrender to the Church."

Braedon knelt over Kecleon. "You-You-" he felt a lump form in his throat.

Rios grinned maniacally. "That's what I thought. Now, release your Impure Pokemon permanantly!"

Braedon stood up. "Y-you'll have to kill me first. I'm not releasing my friends."

"Then so be it." Rios said, pulling a pokeball from his belt. He took another step forward, so both his feet were on Sableye.

Then Braedon snapped.

He rushed at Rios and punched him in the face.

Rios crumbled and fell to the ground, clutching his now bloody nose.

Braedon did the only logical thing left to do.

He kicked Rios in the ribs.

* * *

Tauros charged forward and collided with Blazekin, who blocked Tauros' horns with crossed flaming arms.

Blazekin pushed Tauros, who slid back a few feet then charged forward again. Blazekin leaped over the charging Pokemon and landed behind it. Tauros turned around and charged again, this time even angrier. Blazekin jumped out of the way again.

"Tauros, come back!" Amber yelled. Tauros ran to Amber. "Tyrunt, you're up! Dragon Pulse"

Tyrunt sprinted toward Blazekin, stopping in front of it. He began to launch balks of green energy at Blazekin.

"Block!"

Blaezkin blocked the attacks by crossing it's arms. Each pulse hit its arms and exploded.

"Now Tyrunt, use Stomp!" Amber commanded.

Tyrunt rushed forward and leaped in the air. It began descending toward Blazekin, his foot extended.

"Blaze Kick!" Scarlett yelled.

Blazekin did a spinning kick, knocking Tyrunt away like a baseball. He flew backward and landed imbedded in the wall of the sewer. Water began to leak out of the place he hit.

"Tyrunt!" Amber yelled. She ran to him and caught him in her arms.

"Give up!" Scarlett insisted. "Your Pokemon are no match for a member of the Holy Legion!"

Tyrunt jumped out of Amber's arms and barred his fangs at Scarlett. "Tyrunt! Ty-Ty!" he snarled.

Suddenly, Tyrunt's eyes turned bright green. It opened it's jaw and out of it shot five balls of green energy, flying at Blazekin in a star pattern and leaving a trail behind them.

They collided with Blazekin and knocked him into the wall again. It cracked, letting water leak in.

 _Water..._ Amber thought. "Tyrunt, use your new move again!"

"Dodege, Blazekin!" Scarlett yelled.

Tyrunt shot another Dragon Pulse at Blazekin, who leaped to the side. The attack hit the wall and left even more damage.

"Blazekin, Fire Punch!" Scarlett yelled.

But before Blazekin could move, the cracked wall exploded with gray water, dousing it and Scarlett and filling the chamber.

Amber saw her chance. "Now, Stomp!"

Tyrunt rushed forward and splashed through the warer before jumping up and landing impactfully on Blazekin's back.

Amber ran over to Scarlett. She was passed out like her Blazekin.

"I guess my ideals were right." Amber said quietly.

In the distance, she heard a scream.

Amber looked at her Pokemon, then began to run toward the sound of the noise.

* * *

Amber expected to find her friend in trouble. What she did _not_ expect to find was him kicking a Bishop and svreaming in anger.

"Braedon! Braedon, stop!" Amber yelled as she pulled him away.

He spit on Rios, who groaned. "He deserves more." Braedon said unforgivingly. "He hurt a innocent Pokemon, and he could of killed Argent-" Braedon stopped as realization hit him. "Argent!"

Braedon and Amber, followed by Tauros and Tyrunt, ran to Argent's limp body on the ground.

Braefon checked his pulse, then sighed in relief. "He's breathing."

Amber let out her breath. She then realized not to far from Argent was Vivillon's limp form.

"Vivillon!" Amber ran to her.

"She's fine. Just knocked out by Swanna." Braedon said. "We need to get all of them to a Pokemon Center pronto."

Amber nodded. "Help me get Argent on Tauros' back."

Then Argent began to stir. "I am fine. I can walk."

"Argent!" Braedon yelled. He grabbed him and hugged the boy tightly. To Amber's surprise, Argent just smiled warrily.

Amber took a second to smile herself. They were safe. Rios amd Scarlett were defeated. She could relax.

But only for a second. "C'mon guys. Let's return our Pokemon and get out of here. I'm tired of smelling this place."

* * *

 ** _A/N: Our heroes have won!_**

 ** _Sorry this chapter is late. Life's been hectic lately._**

 ** _A/N 2:_** _ **Did you guys notice the new cover? It was done by the wonderfully talented**_ _ **hannahluvz on Wattpad**_ _ **. Check her out!**_

 _ **A/N 3: Reader Question Time! A few chapters ago I asked what Pokemon you guys wanted to see Braedon catch. The responses I got were Pumpkaboo,**_ ** _Umbreon, and Absol. So I'm holding a contest. Who do you want to see? Tell me in the comments/reviews!_**


	26. Chapter 26: Aftermath

Amber could face down criminals, wild Pokemon, and religious nutjobs with ease. But being interrogated by the police? That was too much for her.

"At least it's over." Braedon said sympathetically as Amber sat down beside him. He put a hand on her back.

Amber, Braedon, Argent, and Sapphire were all in the police station being interrogated about what happened underground. Scarlett and Rios had thankfully been arrested, though Amber had a sinking suspicion that they hadn't seen the last of them. Now they all sat in a room at the police station, waiting to be dismissed. Amber, Braedon, and Argent sat on a bench against a window while Sapphire sat alone across from them, her eyes closed.

"You okay, Sapphire?" Amber asked her.

Sapphire didn't respond at first, but after a second she muttered "I'm fine."

Amber knew that was a lie, but decided not to push the girl. She had been through a lot.

Finally, the door opened and an Officer Jenny walked through it.

"You're free to go." Officer Jenny said. "Your story checks out. Scarlett and Rios confessed everything."

"They did?" Argent asked.

Sapphire snorted. "Of course they did. They were probably proud too."

Officer Jenny looked apologetic. "They're in our custody now. You won't have to worry about them ever again."

Sapphire just closed her eyes again.

Officer Jenny left, and the four of them followed her out.

"So, I propose we get new outfits." Braedon said once they were out of the station. "Ours are ripped and covered in Arceus-knows-what."

"We have clothes at the PC." Argent pointed out.

"But where's the fun in that?" Braedon countered. "Let's get changed at the PC and then hit the town some more! I'll pay for it all."

"That does sound nice." Amber admitted. She turned to Sapphire. "How about you?"

Sapphire glared at her. "What about me?"

"Do you want to come?" Amber asked in her sweetest voice.

"Me?" Sapphire looked flabbergasted. "I-uh-have to do... Stuff. Bye!" she ran away.

Braedon rolled his eyes. "She's more shy than you, Am. And almost as asocial as Argent."

"Hey!" Argent complained. Braedon laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

"I hope she's alright." Amber said worriedly, biting her lip.

"Well, we did just nearly die." Argent said. "Not everyone is as used to near death experiences as we are."

"True." Braedon said. "And she's not exactly a people person. She may have genuinely wanted to be alone."

Amber nodded, still staring into the direction Sapphire ran in. "You guys are right. I'm just worrying to much."

The trio started walking. "If we go left, we'll be on Jaune street." Argent said, looking at a map on his Holo. "There is a boutique on that street, as well as a cafe."

"And the Stone Emporium." Braedon said. "So we can buy some food for Sableye.

"We can head to the boutique, then the Syone Emporium and cafe for lunch." Argent closed his Holocaster. "Is that alright with you, Amber? Amber?"

She blinked. "Huh?"

Braedon looked at her as the three of them turned a corner. "You're still thinking about Sapphire, aren't you?"

Amber blushed. "M-maybe. I'm just worried about her."

"It'll be okay." Braedon said. "Maybe we'll see her again today."

"It's just that..."

"What, Amber?" Argent asked.

"It's not only Sapphire I'm worried about." Amber admitted. "It's The Hallowed Church."

"We beat them, Amber." Braedon said confidently.

"But what if they attack us again?" Amber said. "Professor Sycamore said that they have a reputation for not leaving any loose ends. And with the Pokedexes, we're already targets."

"I've been thinking about that too." Argent said.

"You have?" Braedon asked.

"Yes Braedon. You are the only one who was not thinking about it." Argent said in exasperation.

"Hey! I think about stuff too."

"What were you thinking about?" Amber asked, ignoring Braedon. "Do you have a plan?"

"Sort of." Argent said. "More akin to a goal. We should figure out why they might want these new pokedexes."

"How do we go about doing that?" Amber asked.

"We can ask Marina." Braedon suggested. "I'm sure professor Sycamore will give us her number."

"So now we have a plan." Amber said.

Braedon nodded. "We'll call her tomorrow."

"Why not today?" Amber asked.

"Because today, the three of us are going to have some fun for once, even if it kills us!"

* * *

Gale comsidered quitting, she really did.

"They what?" she fumed.

"They were defeated by those children." Andreas said stoically.

Gale rubbed her forhead. "Which set?"

"The children in the Prodigy Program, Your Holiness." Andreas said. "They were doing their regular purification, when they met the children and tried to steal the pokedexes. With my advisement, of course."

"I know all of this." Gale said impatiently. "Tell me how they lost the children. No, wait, I have a better idea. Tell me how you will fix this screw up."

He cleared his throat. "I will apprehend them and retrieve the Pokedexes myself."

Gale sneered. "Good boy. Now get out of my office and go train for your upcoming battle."

"Yes, Head Priest." he bowed and swiftly left the office.

Gale sighed, then grabbed a beer from the mini fridge next to her desk. If she was going to deal with these fools, she would need alcohol.

* * *

The three of them had split up in the store, intending to surprise each other with their outfits. They agreed to meet each other at the cafe.

"I like it." Argent said, examining himself. He wore a pewter gray sweater vest over a black tie and dress shirt and khakis.

"You're an adorable nerd." Braedon agreed. "I told you this would be fun."

"You were right." Argent said. "Do not let it go to your head. Your ego is big enough as is."

"Bite me." Braedon said. He wore a purple button up with two breast pockets and black jeans. His shoes were purple hi-tops and he kept his silver sunglasses pulled up above his eyes.

"Juvenile." Argent said.

"Whatever." Braedon spit out his tongue.

"Stop you two." Amber chided. She wore a yellow hoodie that was designed to look like a Pikachu, complete with a tail, and jeans. She had traded her cowboy boots for combat boots.

Amber say down, as did the boys. They ordered their food and talked as they waited. Amber was having so much fun she didn't notice someone was behind her until Braedon cleared his throat and pointed.

Amber looked over her shoulder, then stood up quickly. "Sapphire!"

Sapphire held her arm awkwardly as Amber beamed at her. Beside her was Glaceon.

"Hi." Sapphire said.

They all greeted her.

"What are you doing here?" Amber asked.

"I... Came to gave you this." Sapphire pulled out a small box from her pocket.

"What?"

"It's a thank you. For saving me... Fighting Scarlett for me... And for being brave." Sapphire said.

"Thank you." Amber said. She opened the box. Inside was a bracelet made of glittering blue scales.

"They're Snowflake and Cray's." Sapphire said. "I made it."

"Thank you." Amber said with a blush. She slid the bracelet on.

"No, thank you. You fought for me." Sapphire said. "You all did. You're all so strong. That's why I wamt you to be my rival!"

"Wait, what?" Braedon's eyes widened.

"I'm not good with people." Sapphire said. "So I've never asked someone to be my rival. But I want you to be it, Amber. Your strong and smart and worthy of being my rival. So when Cray is all better, she, I, and Snowflake will take you down!"

"Y-you want _m_ e to be your rival?" Amber sputtered.

"Do you accept?" Sapphire asked.

"I-I-uh... Yes. Of course!" Amber said.

"Then I have training to do for our next battle!" Sapphire said. "I have to go! Bye!" With that, she ran off.

"Glace!" Glaceon ran after her.

"She ran away again?" Amber said in surprise.

"What just happened?" Argent asked.

"I think..." Braedon said. "We just made a friend?"

Amber smiled. "Yeah, I think we did."

* * *

The next day, Braedon called Professor Sycamore.

"So? What'd he say?" Amber asked Braedon after he got off the phone with the professor.

Braedon shrugged and sat down next to Argent in the booth. "He didn't give me her number. She's on vacation, so he doesn't want anyone calling her about work."

"Now what?" Amber cried in frustration.

Argent pulled out his Holo. "Now, we go with Plan B."

"You have a Plan B?" Braedon asked.

"As all good trainers should." Argent said smugly. "I see that the other creater of our Pokedexes, Cassius Blake, lives in Dedemille Town, just east of here. So we will just head there and question him."

"Nice going, Argent." Amber said.

"How do we get there, oh wise navigator?" Braedon asked.

"We take Route 16," Argent said, ignoring Braedon's sarcasm. "And it's a straight shot there."

"Then let's get out of here." Braedon said. "The faster we get there, the better."

"Why?" Amber asked.

"Because, as you said, we have targets on our backs. It's best if we don't stay in one place for too long."

* * *

 ** _A/N:_ _Sorry if this chapter is all over the place. It's been a long week._ _But we're finally done with this story arc! It's eight chapters long, making it the longest arc out of any of my stories._**

 ** _A/N 2:_ _So, the Reader Question from_ _las_ _t time is still on going! So make sure you vote!_**


	27. Chapter 27: A Phone Call

"Shadow Ball!" Argent yelled.

Honedge unsheathed himself and shot a ball of shadowy energy at Gourgeist.

Gourgeist countered with a ball of green energy, and the two attacks collided in an explosion of green and black.

"Aerial Ace!"

Honedge rushed through the explosion and slashed at Gourgeist, knocking the pokemon back. Argent internally cheered.

Argent pulled out a pokeball and threw it. Gourgeist disappeared inside it.

The ball rocked three times, then clicked.

"Nice." Braedon praised him.

Argent nodded and pocketed the ball. "You did good, Honedge."

"Hone!" Honedge resheathed himself.

"So, we now have all the Kalos Pokemon on this Route." Amber said. "Now what?"

Argent looked at the sky. "We should set up camp. It is getting late."

"Don't sound to excited." Braedon teased. Argent rolled his eyes.

The three of them began to set up camp, with Argent tackling dinner, while Amber and Braedon set up the tents, which only took a few minutes.

Afterwards, Amber took Tauros out and began to brush his fur. Braedon sat down and watched as Argent began to stir his soup.

"Smells good." Braedon said to him.

Argent nodded. "I've never been able to cook for someone before."

"Why not?" Braedon wondered. "Was it your father."

Argent nodded. "He discouraged such things. 'Cooking is for the help', is what he always said. So I've cooked in secret my whole life."

"You little rebel." Braedon snarked.

Argent smiled. "I suppose I am."

The two of them sat in confortable silence for a few minutes, Braedon watching Argent stir and add ingredients.

After awhile, Argent stopped. Something had been eating away at him since yesterday.

"I'm sorry." he said.

"Huh?" Braedon asked.

"Yesterday, I let you down." Argent explained. "We were in danger, and I was unconscious. You shouldn't have had to deal with someone as powerful as Rios alone."

"Argent, shut up." Braedon said in exasperation.

"But I-"

"No. Shut up." Braedon said. "You were knocked out. There is nothing to apologize for."

"I still feel bad-" Argent started.

"Don't." Braedon interrupted.

"But-"

"Dude. Just say thank you." Braedon said.

Argent smiled again, this time shyly. "Thank you, Braedon."

"You're welcome." Braedon said. "Now thank me even more by finishing dinner. I'm starving."

"It's almost done." Argent stated.

Braedon groaned. "But I'm hungry..."

"You're always hungry." Argent pointed out.

"True." Braedon conceded. "You know, it would go faster if I were to help."

Argent looked sideways at him. "Have you ever been near a kitchen before?"

"This isn't a kitchen." Braedon said. "This is a pot over a fire."

"Fine, you can help." Argent sighed over the pot. "I know I am going to regret this."

Braedon grinned. "Sounds like you already do."

Twenty minutes later, a vibrant Argent declared that dinner was done. Amber cheered appreciatively.

Since they didn't have bowls, the three of them sipped the soup out of their thermos. The gave their Pokemon pokemon food and berries, with the exception of Sableye, who ate rocks.

"Great job you guys." Amber said after she sipped some soup.

"Thanks." Argent said.

"It was mostly Argent." Braedon said. "He's, like, a cooking ninja or something."

"Definitely or something." Argent said. "What even is a 'cooking ninja'?"

Amber and Braedon laughed.

The three of them finished the soup, then ate some of Amber's candy stash for dessert.

All in all, Argent considered it a good night.

* * *

Argent woke up to the sound of hushed voices. He kept his eyes closed, hoping to go back to sleep.

"Mitzuki, let me talk to him. Yes, I know what time it is here, but there it should only be eight."

Was that Braedon?

"Mitzuki, I'm not playing, let me talk to him-"

Oh, who was he kidding? He was too curious. Argent strained to listen in.

"Mitzuki, please! I haven't spoken to him in months- since before the program started-"

Argent angled his head so he could hear better.

"-he's my father, he should make time! Don't you dare hang up on- ugh!"

Argent could hear Braedon kick something in frustration, then cry out in pain

"He's not worth your time, Brae. You're worth so much more."

Amber?

"I didn't realise you were awake." Argent heard Braedon say.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, or-"

"Nah, it's fine." Braedon said. "I'm fine. Fuck him. Who needs a dad, right?"

"If you need to talk, I'm here." Amber offered.

"I really don't feel like talking right now. Maybe tomorrow."

"That's okay too." Amber said. "Maybe you'll feel better if you sleep?"

"Yeah, maybe."

The conversation died after that, though Argent did here rustling that indicated that Amber and Braedon had got back in their tents to sleep.

Deciding to follow their example, Argent turned over in his sleeping bag. But he didn't feel tired.

Why had this Mitzuki refused to let Braedon talk to his father? Why wouldn't his father want to talk to him? What was going on?

Argent wanted to answer these questions more than he wanted to sleep. He wanted to help his friend.

Two months ago, if someone had told Argent he would be laying awake worrying about the personal problems of a friend, Argent would have laughed.

But now that Argent had friends, worries like these were part of the package. Argent found himself constantly fretting over what his friends were thinking and how they felt. To be honest, it was slightly exhausting.

But Argent thought they were worth it. So he had to figure out what Braedon wasn't telling him, and how to help him.

* * *

 ** _A/N: What's going on with Braedon? Find out next week!_**

 _ **A/N 2: Sorry about this short (mostly) filler chapter. I haven't really felt like writing lately. But, I feel like I forgot about Braedon's backstory, so expect that soon.**_


	28. Chapter 28: Cassius

Dendemille Town was surprisingly rustic for the third largest city in Kalos.

"We're here!" Braedon cheered as they walked through the city gates. "Watch out Dendemille and Cassius, here we come!"

Argent eyed him suspiciously. He had been waiting to ambush him all week, ever since Argent heard the phone call, but had backed out at each opportunity. Part of of the reason was that Argent was just too terrified to do anything.

And part of the reason was because Braedon showed no outward sign of distress _at all_. It was hard to ask Braedon what's wrong when he didn't act like anything was wrong.

"Let's hope this city is ready for us." Argent muttered.

Braedon laughed. "Not likely."

"So, where are we headed first?" Amber wondered. "Cassius or the Pokemon Center?"

"Cassius is closer." Argent said, pulling out his Pokedex and clicking the map function. "If we just go straight for two blocks, then take a left on Oriely Street, we'll be at his house."

Amber looked at Braedon. "You remembered to call and tell him we're coming, right?"

"Of course." Braedon said. "I'm not completely hopeless."

"Then let's head over there." Amber said. "We're on a scheldule, after all."

"Thank you, Argent The Second." Braedon teased.

Amber just shook her head.

Three of them kept walking, with Argent taking lead. Argent kept his eyes on Braedon, and he noticed that Amber did the same.

Finally, they arrived at Cassius house.

It was small, much smaller than someone would expect of a house that belonged to a famous inventer. The lawn was unkempt, with the grass overgrown and the fences rusted.

"This is it?" Braedon asked Argent.

Argent nodded. "Unless I'm mistaken. Amd I am usually not."

Braedon looked at Argent expectantly, and Amber shrank back behind Braedon. Argent sighed and knocked on the door.

"Oi! Who is it?" a rough voice called out.

"Um..." Argent paused. "It is the three trainers with the Pokedexes. We called-"

"Oh!" the man, probably Cassius, said. "Come in then! The door's not locked."

Argent pushed open the door and entered the house. The door led to a slightly run-down kitchen with tea boiling on the stove.

"I'm in 'ere!" Cassius yelled. Argent, followed by Amber and Braedon, walked out of the kitchen and into what he assumed was the living room.

Cassius sat on a dingy but mostly clean couch. He wore a black leather jacket covered in spikes and hole-riddled jeans and combat boots. Around his neck sat a spiked collar. His head was mostly shaved, though he had a blue mohawk.

"'Ello." he greeted. "Ya must be the Prodigies. Amber, Braedon, and Argent."

"Cassius x?" Argent said. "You're him?"

He snorted. "Why does everyone say that..." he shook his head vigorously. "Yes, I'm Cassius x, but you can call me Cassius. Co-Creator of the Pokemon Trade System 3.0 and the Pokedex Version 6. Don't just stand there! Come sit. I don't bite. Unless we're close, of course."

Argent, Braedon and Amber exchanged looks, then entered the room. Braedon sat on the couch with Cassius, while Amber sat in the chair farthest from the inventor. Argent stood.

"Are you three gonna tell me why you're 'ere, or do I have to pry it out of ya?" Cassius asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Sorry." Amber said quietly. "We just have a few questions."

"And concerns." Braedon added.

"About my Pokedex?" Cassius asked.

"Sort of." Braedon said. "It's more about why someone would want your Pokedex. Why is it so special?"

"Why?" Cassius glared at him. "What? Ya got something against my 'dex? It's not good enough for ya?"

"That's not it!" Argent said hastily.

"We just were heading this way already," Braedon lied. They had agreed not to tell Cassius about people trying to steal his invention. If they did, he might demand it back and the whole program would be over. "And we wanted to know more about the Pokedex. Because, honestly, we're not using it to it's fullest potential. It's a complex piece of machinery created by a genius."

Argent couldn't help but admire how well Braedon crafted his words, and how authentic his admiration sounded. He was buttering Cassius up subtly, just to get him to tell them what they want.

"True." Cassius said. "But didn't Sycamore tell ya all it's features?"

"Surely not _all_ of them," Braedon said. "You have to have something up your sleeves."

Cassius shook his head. "Nope. All the functions in the device were told to Sycamore, who was tasked with telling you."

"Okay." Braedon said. "Thanks anyway."

"Happy to help." Cassius said. "Now,who wants tea?"

"I'd love some." Braedon said. Amber and Argent nodded.

He left the room, and Braedon immeadiately turned to Argent.

"What now?" he asked Braedon.

"We're at a dead end." Amber said.

"No we're not." Argent said. "Cassius gave us all we needed. He said we know all of the Pokedex's features. So we just have to figure out which feature they want it for."

"It has to be one that isn't in other Pokedexes." Amber deduced. "So that leaves the teleportation function, the Holonet, and the instant trade function."

Braedon nodded. "I doubt it's the Holonet. That's in every Holocaster in Kalos."

"Whatever the reason," Amber said. "We can't let them steal the Pokedexes."

"Let who steal the Pokedexes?" Cassius asked, walking back into the room with a tray of tea.

"Uh..." Braedon looked at Amber and Argent.

"Don't you dare lie ta me." Cassius said. "If someone wants my Pokedexes, then I need to know."

Argent looked at his friends. The looks on both of their faces told him what he already knew- that they didn't have a choice.

So Argent explained about The Hallowed Church and their continued attemps to steal the Pokedexes. With each word, Cassius became more concerned and Argent's heary sank lower. They were definitely going home.

"You know what this means, right?" Cassius said.

Argent gulped.

"C'mon." Cassius got up and left the living room. After a moments hesitation, they all followed.

He led them out a door to the backyard, which was bigger and better kept than the front yard.

"Okay." Cassius said. "If you're gonna be fightin' criminals for my Pokedex, you're gonna have to be strong."

"Huh?" Amber asked.

"Battle me." Cassius said. "Prove ta me that you're strong enough ta protect the Pokedexes."

"You're not going to take them?" Braedon asked.

"Why?" Cassius responded. "If I do, you three are still targets. No one pisses off the Church and gets away with it."

"So you have heard of them." Argent said.

"Yep. And the way I see it, I can either tell Professor Sycamore and have him send ya home, or let ya prove to me ya can keep going."

Cassius took a step back and pulled out a pokeball.

"Get ready... Here I come!" Cassius yelled.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Who will win? Will the Prodigies have to go home? Find out next week!"_**

 ** _A/N 2: Who should the next story arc be about? Tell me in your reviews!_**

 ** _A/N 3: The previous contest is still on. Who should Braedon catch?_**


	29. Chapter 29: The Prodigies vs Cassius

Cassius took a step back and pulled out a pokeball.

"Get ready... Here I come!" Cassius yelled.

He threw a pokeball, and a Pokemon appeared. Resembling a dark blue beetle, Argent immeadiately recognized it as Heracross, but he took out his Pokedex anyway.

 _"Heracross, The Single Horn Pokemon. Heracross charges in a straight line at its foe, slips beneath the foe's grasp, and then scoops up and hurls the opponent with its mighty horn. This Pokémon even has enough power to topple a massive tree. Level 34. Moves Known: Close Combat, Megahorn, Horn Attack, Silver Wind. Ability: Guts."_

"So, who's first?" Cassius asked them. He turned to Amber, who looked away. "How 'bout you, shrinking violet? Can ya beat me?"

Amber swallowed and set her jaw determinedly. "I'll fight you. But if we win, you have to tell us why The Hallowed Church wants the Pokedexes."

"Deal." Cassius grinned. "You ready?"

"Yeah." Amber pulled a Pokeball from her belt.

"Good luck." Braedon said. Argent nodded at her, then the two of them backed away to give them space.

"Vivillon, go!" Amber shouted, throwing a pokeball.

"Vivillon!" Vivillon cried, twirling in midair.

 _She chose Vivillon..._ Argent thought. _Gust will be useful. And since Vivillon is Bug/Flying, and Heracross' Close Combat is basically useless. Amber knows what she's doing._

"Gust!" Amber yelled.

Vivillon began to flap it's wings and created a giant gust of wind that blew toward Heracross.

"Silver Wind!" Cassius countered.

Heracross flew up and created a wind of it's own, this one full of glittery scales, which collided with Gust. The two attacks canceled each other out.

"Struggle Bug!" Amber commanded.

Vivillon's body began to shake, and green tendrils of energy errupted from behind her wings. They shot toward Heracross.

"Heracross, Horn Attack!" Cassius said.

Heracross began to beat away the tendrils with it's now glowing horn.

"Now, Megahorn!" Cassius yelled.

"Hera!" Heracross cheered as it zipped forward, heading straight towards Vivillon.

"Dodge!" Amber yelled.

Vivillon flew to the left, narrowly dodging Heracross' horn. Heracross turned in midair and swung it's horn like a baseball bat, knocking Vivillon through the air.

"Viv!" Vivillon cried as it fell out of the air.

"Vivillon!" Amber screamed.

Vivillon hit the ground with a thud.

"Vivillon, are you okay?" Amber called. She lifted herself up and flapped her wings until she was airborne. She nodded to Amber.

"Okay then!" Amber yelled. "Try again! Struggle Bug!"

Vivillon began to shake. Long tendrils of green energy flew from her body and rushed toward Heracross.

"Beat them back with ya horn!" Cassius yelled.

Heracross began to whack away the attack again.

 _He's blocking all of her attacks._ Argent thought. _How will she beat him?_

Then, as if she had heard him, Amber smiled vibrantly. Argent couldn't help but smile as well. He loved when Amber's inner confidence shined through.

It meant she was about to win.

"Vivillon, Struggle Bug again!" Amber yelled.

Vivillon began to shake violently.

"We've been through this already," Cassius gloated. "You can't win! Heracross, hit it away!"

Heracross began to knock the Struggle Bug back by swinging his horn.

"Keep using Struggle Bug!" Amber commanded.

Vivillon kept shaking.

"Heracross, keep hitting it away!"

Heracross complied, knocking the attack away again.

"Now Vivillon, use Mega Struggle Bug!" Amber yelled.

"Mega-what now?" Braedon asked, jerking back in surprise.

Vivillon began to shake even more violently, and thousands of small green tendrils began to shoot at Heracross.

"Knock them away!" Cassius yelled.

But there were too many. Heracross could beat back some of them, but the rest pelted it and caused it to plummet from the sky.

"Now, while it's down!" Amber yelled. "Gust!"

Vivillon started to flap her wings, creating a gust of wind that flung Heracross across the yard.

"Hera!" it yelled as it collided with the ground and skidded a few feet.

"Now, finish this!" Amber yelled. "Struggle Launcher!"

Vivillon began to shake, and a giant tendril appeared and shot toward Heracross.

"Hera!" Heracross screamed as the attack hit.

When the dust of the resulting explosion cleared, Heracross' body was limp on the ground.

"You did it!" Amber cheered as Vivillon flew into her arms. She twirled the Pokemon around.

"Heracross, return." Cassius said, pressing the button on Heracross' pokeball. A red beam shot from the ball and hit Heracross, and it disappeared.

Braedon ran up to Amber and hugged her and Vivillon. "Nice job!" he squealed. "You did great!"

Amber pulled back as Vivillon began to squirm. She let her go.

Amber blushed and rubbed the back of her head. "It was nothing."

"It most certainly was not." Argent said. "How did you learn to to do that?"

"It was inspired by Clawitzer's Mega Launcher ability." Amber explained. "Vivillon and I have been practicing to perfect it. I noticed that the more tendrils there are, the smaller the tendrils are, and the less tendrils their are, the bigger the individual tendrils are. So I developed two new attacks based on them."

"Simply amazing." Cassius said in a congratulatory tone. "But you three aren't done yet."

"What now?" Braedon asked.

Cassius grinned. "The second challenge. A quiz."

"A what?" Argent asked."

Part one was a battle." Cassius explained. "Now I'm going to quiz one of ya."

"A quiz." Argent said incredulously. "A quiz from the man who created the PSS and the Pokedex 6.0."

"That's right." Cassius said.

Argent nearly did a touchdown dance. But he didn't, because that kind of thing was extremely undignified.

"So I take it you'll be the one I'm quizzing?" he asked. Argent nodded.

"Excellent. Question one. What is Bergmite and Regice made of?"

Argent smiled. "Cryolite. That was easy. Even Braedon would know that."

"Excuse you?" Braedon said incredulously.

"Nice." Cassius said, ignoring Braedon. "Second and last question."

 _Last?_ Argent wondered.

"You are standing on a bridge. On one side is your Pokemon being attacked by Pokemon Hunters. On the other your friend is being attacked. If you go to your friends, the Hunter gets your Pokemon. If you go to your Pokemon, your friend dies. Who do you choose?"

Argent's mouth fell open. "Th-that's not a trivia question."

"No. But it's one you may have to face if you insist on defying Team Hallow." Cassius responded. "In real life, sometimes your forced to choose. So, Argent. What's your answer?"

Argent bit his lip. "Their's no way I can save both?"

Cassius shook his head.

 _What do I choose?_ Argent wondered. _The logical choice is to choose my friend, then go after my Pokemon later. The hunter wouldn't kill my Pokemon._

Argent turned to Cassius, ready to answer. But he stopped when he saw the look in Cassius' eyes. It was triumphant. He knew he had won.

 _He has something up his sleeve._ Argent realized. _This question is more than it seems. Or am I over thinking it?_

 _Stop. Start from the beginning. Find the most logical answer._

 _But I have the most logical answer._

"The most logical answer is-" Argent stopped. Cassius had made a face at the word _logical._

 _Does he not want the logical answer? Then what does he want?_

The answer came to him.

 _I'm looking at it wrong. It isn't a logical dilemma. It's a_ moral _dilemma._

"I'm waiting." Cassius said.

"The most logical answer is to choose the friend." Argent answered. "Then go after the Pokemon Hunter later."

"That's wrong." Cassius said.

"I'm not done." Argent said. "You said that I can't save them both. If so, then there is no right answer. Because I'm going to save them both, or die trying."

Cassius smiled. "Correct."

Braedon beamed and clapped Argent on the back. "Nice one, buddy."

"Now for the last challenge." Cassius said.

"I have a better idea." Braedon said. He grinned. "How about for my challenge, I tell you why Team Hallow wants the Pokedex."

"You know?" Argent asked.

Braedon nodded. "Yeah, I figured it out. The reason they would want this Pokedex had to be a function that is new to this version of the Pokedex, right? Because if it wasn't, then they would just buy a Pokedex 5.0. And the only function that is completely new, not on any other device, is the PSS you created. And, if I understand right, the PSS turns a Pokemon into data to trade them over long distances. But data can be deleted. If The Hallowed Church could figure out how to turn Pokemon into data and just delete them, "purifying" trainers would be much easier."

Amber gaped at him in horror. "They want to delete Pokemon?"

"Why not?" Braedon said bitterly. "They're perfectly willing to kill Pokemon."

"Now you see why you can't let the Pokedexes fall into their grasp." Cassius said.

"But if you knew that, why would you give them away?" Amber asked.

"I didn't know. " Cassius answered. "I only realized once you told me they were after you."

"Then we have to give them back." Argent said. "If they get their hands on them, they'll be able to kill Pokemon."

"No they won't." Cassius said. "Because I'm going to disable the PSS function. Give me your Pokedexes."

Amber, Braedon, and Argent complied, each handing him a Pokedex.

"I'll have them back to you by morning." Cassius said. "Until then, I suggest you train. The Hallowed Church will still be after you even if the function is gone."

Argent nodded. "We will."

* * *

"This is a lot to take in." Amber admitted to them. They were at the Pokemon Center, waiting for their Pokemon to be healed.

Argent nodded. "But we'll train. We'll be ready for them. We always are."

Braedon looked at the pokeball in his hand.

"You okay?" Amber asked him.

Braedon bit his lip. "I'm fine. I just... What if we aren't ready?"

"We will be." Argent promised. But he felt a anchor in his stomach all the same.

The three of them sat in silence for the rest of the night.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So Team Hallow's true motives are revealed! What does the future have in store for our heroes?_**

 ** _A/N 2: So, the votes are in. All three of them. It's currently a tie between all three of them (one person on quotev voted for Absol and Umbreon, one person on fanfiction voted on Pumpkaboo). So I'm just going to put up a poll on quotev. Don't worry, Braedon will catch a Pokemon soon. But one I choose. And then he'll catch the winner of the poll next._**

 ** _Until then, see ya later!_**


	30. Chapter 30: Enter The Frost Cavern!

After their competition against Cassius, the three of them decided that the faster they left Dendemille, the better. For all they knew, The Hallowed Church could be following them.

"We need to go to the Frost Cavern and catch Bergmite and Avalugg." Argent said as the three of them entered the Pokemon Center. "Which shouldn't take too long."

"'Shouldn't take to long'?" Braedon scoffed. "As if. Avalugg are way powerful. It will take at least a few hours."

"But we have three Pokemon with a Type advantage." Argent pointed out. "And if all three of us fight it together, we should be able to beat it."

Amber inspected her jacket. "If we're going to The Frost Cavern, we'll need some new clothes. These are way too thin."

"Agreed." Argent said. "I prefer not to lose any fingers or toes to hypothermia."

"So we're going shopping? Sweet!" Braedon cheered. "It'll be nice to spend money on things we actually need for a change."

Amber laughed. "Well, we better go now if we want to get back by nightfall."

Braedon nodded, and opened his mouth to respond, but his Holocaster started to ring in his pocket.

"Huh?" Braedon pulled it out and looked at the number. He felt his heart skip a beat.

 _No way._ He thought. _No effin way. Why would he be calling?_

"What's wrong?" Amber asked. "Who is it?"

Braedon shook his head. "I-I have to take this."

He walked away from his friends and pressed the center button on the still ringing Holocaster.

A Hologram appeared. It was of a man with neatly trimmed violet hair and startling blue eyes.

"Dad?"

* * *

"I'm suddenly having second thoughts." Braedon said, hugging himself. He could feel the cold nipping at his nose.

"'Suddenly'?" Argent said as they trudged though the ocean of snow. "You've been complaining the whole time."

"I can't help it!" Braedon snapped. "I'm a sun person! We don't have snow like this in Cyprus City."

Amber grimaced through chattering teeth."S-stop being a b-baby." she said.

"You can barely talk!" Braedon pointed out.

"We're going inside." Argent said resolutely. "You'll both live."

Braedon hung his head back. "But it's probably colder inside..."

"T-toughen up, city boy." Amber teased. The effect was lessened by the clicking of her teeth.

"You guys are jerks." Braedon pouted.

Amber and Argent laughed, and Braedon mentally congratulated himself. They couldn't tell anything was wrong with him. They bought his whiny facade so easily, Braedon was almost disappointed.

" _It's time to grow up, Braedon."_

Braedon gripped the pokeball on his hip.

"Braedon?"

Braedon looked up. "Huh?"

"When did you get that?" Amber asked.

Shit. He forgot that he put that there. "Get what?"

"The third pokeball on your belt." Amber said.

Braedon pulled it out. "It's a gift. That's what the phone call from earlier was."

"Really?" Argent asked. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Braedon didn't have to search hard for a lie. Such things came easily to him. "I was going to surprise you guys!" Braedon said.

"Y-you're a dork." Amber said. "B-but we'll let y-you surprise us."

Braedon grinned, which made him feel more hollow.

"Now that we've got that settled, let's go inside." Argent said determinedly.

"L-look!" Amber said.

At the mouth of the cave was a small chunk of ice with yellow eyes.

"A Bergmite!" Argent exclaimed.

"Braedon, now's your chance to show off your new Pokemon." Amber suggested.

"Oh! Right!" Braedon removed the pokeball from his belt and threw it.

A small Teddiursa-like pokemon appeared, standing on two feet. It was black and white with ears like half circles. It chewed on a leaf.

Braedon had to admit it was cute, even if he did loathe the person who gave it to him.

Pancham grinned and smiled at them.

"Ready, Pancham?" Braedon said. It nodded eagerly, punching the air like it was punching an invisible punching bag.

"It's energetic, all right." Amber said. She brought out her Pokedex.

 _"Pancham, The Playful Pokemon."_ it said " _It does its best to be taken seriously by its enemies, but its glare is not sufficiently intimidating. Chewing on a leaf is its trademark. This Pancham is Female. Level 36. Ability: Iron Fist. Moves: Comet Punch, Parting Shot, Vital Throw, and Leer."_

Bergmite approached Pancham.

"Berg?" It said.

"Aw, it's friendly!" Amber said.

"Maybe we won't need a battle." Argent suggested.

Pancham hung it's head.

Braedon laughed and scooped Pancham into his arms. "Don't worry. You'll get to battle soon enough."

"Pan?" Pancham asked.

Braedon nodded. "Yep."

Amber bent down and stared Bergmite in the eye. "You wanna come with us, little guy?"

Bergmite grinned. "Mite! Mite!"

Amber smiled back and pulled out a pokeball. She pressed the button on the center, and a red beam hit Bergmite. It disappeared and the pokeball shook twice before making a clicking sound.

"Gotcha!" Amber said. She scanned the pokeball with her Pokedex.

 _"Bergmite, the Ice Chunk Pokemon. It blocks opponents' attacks with the ice that shields its body. It uses cold air to repair any cracks with new ice. This Bergmite is Male. Level 26. Moves known: Sharpen, Curse, Icy wind, and Powder Snow. Ability: Ice Body."_

Braedon returned Pancham, and Argent led them to the mouth of the cave, which towered over them.

Braedon shivered, but not from the cold. He followed them inside.

The inside of the cave was just as intimidating, but in a breathtaking way. Icy stalagmites and stalactites hung from the ceiling and erupted from the ground like crystal teeth waiting to chew them to bits. The walls were covered with a layer of ice that made the rock seem like they had been polished.

"Wow." Amber breathed.

Braedon took out his Holo and took a picture. He wanted this place to be preserved in more than ice and memories.

"It's beautiful." Argent murmured. "But we need to get going."

Braedon nodded. "Yeah. I don't see any more Pokemon here."

The three of them walked hesitantly, being careful not to slip. Argent reminded them to stay on the path, as it was less slippery than the rest of the cave.

Braedon considered straying off the path just so he could slip and get a concussion. That would solve all his problems.

"Braedon, what's wrong?"

Braedon stopped. "Wha- nothing! I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Amber asked. "Because you aren't talking at all."

"You do seem somewhat pensive." Argent pointed out.

Braedon shrugged. "I'm just taking in the scenery, you know?"

Amber and Argent looked doubtful.

" _You can tell your friends! I bet they'll be excited for you."_

Braedon pushed that thought out of his head. No way he was telling his friends about something this pathetic.

"Braedon? You're doing it again." Amber said.

"I'm not doing anything." Braedon said. He pushed passed them.

Amber put a hand on his shoulder. "Brae-"

"I said I'm fine!" Braedon snapped.

Amber shrunk back, obviously hurt. Argent raised an eyebrow.

Braedon felt his heart sink lower. "Guys... I'm sorry. I just... Don't want to talk about it."

"Is it about your dad?" Argent asked, stepping closer.

"Excuse me?" Braedon said.

"I over heard your call the other night, and-"

"How dare you listen- that was private-"

"But-"

Braedon pushed Argent away. Argent started to fall backward and tried to grab onto him and Amber, but accidentally pulled them down with him. The three of them fell to the ground and tumbled off the path.

"Get off!" Argent grunted.

Braedon tried to push himself off of him, but then the ground below them began to shake. In the space of a few seconds, there was no ground below them and they were falling.

* * *

Braedon woke up to find himself warm and wrapped in blankets. His pillow was uncomfortable, but incredibly warm.

He stretched and pulled his head out from under the covers, then wished he hadn't.

It was freezing.

"You're awake!"

Braedon looked up. Amber was standing above him, a look of concern on her face.

"Amber?" Braedon rubbed his head. "Where are we?"

Amber pointed up. There was a giant hole in the cave ceiling. "I think we fell in a hole made by a Pokemon. Probably an Onix. It must of been covered by a sheet of ice and when we fell on it we cracked it."

Braedon sat up and hugged his legs to his chest. "Great." Then something occurred to him. "Wait. Where's Argent?"

Amber pointed to Braedon's right. What Braedon had mistaken for a pillow was actually the other boy.

Braedon felt his cheeks heat up. "Why were we-"

"I moved you two together," Amber explained. "So you could stay warm."

Braedon looked at Argent. Even in his dreams, he seemed to be hounded by his own thoughts.

"How long have we been asleep?" Braedon asked.

Amber shrugged. "I woke up an hour ago. I would have sent Vivillon for help, but I'm worried she'll get attacked by a Pokemon along the way."

"Why didn't you just call someone?" Braedon asked.

"My Holo has no reception down here."

Braedon reached into his pocket and pulled out his Holocaster. Sure enough, no bars. Braedon groaned.

Appatently he groaned loudly, because that caused Argent to stir. He sat up and yawned.

After explaining the situation to Argent, the three of them decided to continue down the tunnel and see if they had better reception further down.

"Or we could go straight into a Pokemon's nest." Amber pointed out.

"Let's hope not." Braedon said.

The three of them packed their stuff, then continued down the passage way, using the flashlights on their Holocasters to illuminate their path.

Braedon waited for them to pounce on him, to blame him for their predicament or hound him for answers, but they both said nothing. So Braedon just kept walking.

"Guys, look!" Amber pointed ahead. Braedon and Argent, who both were trying to get a signal on their Holo, looked up.

"Is that-" Argent started.

"Uh-huh." Braedon said.

In several yards in front of them was a hole in the ground with light shining through it.

"The tunnel drops down from here." Amber explained.

"Now what do we do?" Argent wondered.

"We go down." Braedon said. "Duh."

Braedon could see Argent roll bis eyes in the dim light of his Holo. "Braedon, we don't know how far down it goes, or what's down there."

"Then let's look." Braedon said. He started running.

"Braedon, wait-"

Braedon stopped just in front of the opening.

He gasped.

"What is it?" Amber yelled as she and Argent ran to his side.

Braedon just pointed into the hole. Amber and Argent gasped as well.

Inside was a giant cavern the size of a football field. Sitting in the center of the cavern was a giant chunk of ice.

"That's a long drop." Braedon muttered.

Argent nodded. "But look!" he said, pointing. "There's the path we were on. If we can get down there, we'll be back on track."

"But how do we get down there?" Amber wondered.

"It's not that far of a jump." Braedon said. "We could make it down safely if we were a little closer..."

"Wait!" Amber yelled. "I have an idea!" she pulled her bag off her back and opened it.

"I know it's in here..." Amber muttered. "Aha!"

She pulled out a rope.

Five minutes later, Braedon was climbing down the rope. One end was tied to Honedge, who had firmly planted himself in the cave wall, while the other end dangled down to where Amber and Argent waited, having already climbed down. The three of them had went one at a time, predicting that Honedge couldn't hold all of them at once.

"You can do it!" Amber yelled to him.

"Be careful!" Argent screamed.

Braedon looked at him, intending to respond sarcastically, but then paused when he saw the look in Argent's eyes. He was worried.

For some reason, Braedon's thoughts wandered to another boy.

 _"He's perfect." Braedon's father said._

 _But all Braedon could think about was how he had fierce looking eyes..._

"Braedon, you okay?" Amber called.

Braedon shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Braedon began to climb down again.

When he reached the ground, he silently thanked Arceus that he hadn't fell.

Honedge flew down to Argent.

"Now will you tell us what's going on?" Argent demanded as he untied Honedge.

Braedon shook his head. "Nothing's going on."

"Then why are you acting so quiet?" Amber asked gently.

"Amber-"

"Braedon, we're your friends." she said. "You can talk to us."

"There's nothing to talk about."

Then Argent surprised Braedon. He stepped forward and got in Braedon's face.

"What are you-"

"You listen to me." Argent snarled. "You have been sulking all day. Then you pushed me and nearly got us killed. If there isn't something to talk about, then I'm going to be angry."

 _Going to be?_ Braedon thought but wisely did not say aloud.

"Why are you angry?" Braedon asked.

"Because you're a hypocrite!" Argent snapped.

"A hypocrite?"

Argent crossed his arms. "You and Amber forced me to open up about my father when I didn't want to. And now you refuse to do the same about your father?"

"I just-" Braedon said.

"Just what?" Amber asked.

"I just didn't want you guys to know." Braedon said. "It's not that I didn't want to open up. It's because you guys wouldn't understand."

"Understand what?" Amber asked.

Just then, the whole cave started to shake. Amber and Argent turned around.

The flat chunk of ice was moving. And it had a head and four legs.

"An Avalugg!" Argent gasped.

"Lugg!" the gargantuan ice type roared, before charging at them.

* * *

 ** _A/N: What did Braedon's dad say? Why'd he give Braedon a Pokemon? And will The Prodigies be alright? Find out next week!_**


	31. Chapter 31: Prodigies vs The Iceberg

Today was not Braedon's day.

First, he had gotten a call from his dad. Then he had to go into a place with below zero temperatures. Then he accidently put his friends in danger.

Now they were in ditectly in the path of a charging iceberg.

"Run!" Amber yelled.

Braedon and Argent jumped to one side and Amber jumped to the other as the gargantuan Pokemon came barreling into the spot they had been standing in moments ago.

"Ava!" It grunted as it smacked into the wall.

"Argent, Amber, get ready to attack." Braedon said. He grabbed a pokeball from his belt. "Pancham, go!"

He threw the pokeball and Pancham appeared in a fountain of light.

Avalugg turned around and stared down Pancham. The littler Pokemon took a hesitatant step back.

"Don't be intimidated!" Braedon called. "Use Leer!"

Pancham squared her shoulders and her eyes began to glow. Avalugg kept staring back, transfixed by Pancham's eyes. It didn't seem to notice or care that it was getting weaker.

Amber and Argent each pulled out a pokeball and threw it.

"Tyrunt, Stone Edge Trap!"

"Honedge, Flash Cannon!"

Tyrunt stomped his foot. Jagged rocks erupted from the cave floor under Avalugg. They were placed around Avalugg so it couldn't move forward or back. It was the new techniques Amber had created.

Then, Honedge unsheathed itself. A ball of silver energy formed on the tip of it's blade, which was pointed at Avalugg. The ball became a thick beam of light that shot toward Avalugg. The Iceberg Pokemon soon became engulfed in silver light.

Amber cheered. "We did it!"

"No we didn't." Argent said. He pointed to Avalugg.

Sure enough, Avalugg was both conscious and _very_ pissed.

"Avalugg!" it roared. It began to thrash, destroying the pillars in the process.

Amber gulped "There goes that strategy."

Avalugg charged at Amber, who jumped to the side. Avalugg rammed into the cavern wall.

 _Thank Arceus Avalugg is so slow._ Braedon thought.

Avalugg turned around and glared at Amber. It roared and jagged spears of ice appeared above it, then began crashing down.

"Amber!" Braedon cried.

Amber screamed, but pillars of rock erupted from the ground and blocked the attack.

Amber pulled herself up and ran to Tyrunt. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she gushed as she hugged her partner.

Argent and Braedon ran to Amber's side.

"Are you alright?" Braedon asked.

She nodded. She seemed to be shaking.

Then, Avalugg roared again. The wind began to pick up and soon became a full on blizzard.

Braedon covered his face and tried to steady himself as the wind and ice assalted him. He could only imagine that the others were doing the same.

"Pan!" Braedon heard Pancham scream as she flew through the air and hit the wall.

"Pancham!" Braedon yelled.

Honedge had grabbed onto a rock with his tassle to keep from flying away. Tyrunt was holding onto Honedge's handle with his teeth.

"Pancham, are you awake!" Braedon screamed, struggling to stay audible over the wind.

Pancham didn't respond.

"If you are, using Parting Shot. It'll make Avalugg's attacks weaker!" Braedon screamed.

For a second, Braedon was sure that Pancham was knocked out or hadn't heard him. That Braedon's only plan had failed.

But then Pancham yelped- a noise so loud that Braedon could hear it. A red beam shot from Braedon's belt and hit Pancham. Parting Shot- a move that returns the user to it's pokeball and switches it for another Pokemon, but not before leaving something behind for the opponent.

The blizzard became weaker- weak enough that Braedon wasn't in danger of falling anymore.

Braedon grinned despite the cold. His plan had worked.

Avalugg looked around in confusion, surprised that it's last resort had been defied.

A pokeball on Braedon's belt opened. Sableye appeared.

"Sable!" he cried.

"Now, let's finish this!" Braedon said. "Night Shade!"

"Ancient Power!" Amber commanded.

"Flash Cannon!" Argent yelled.

The three launched their attacks as one. They hit Avalugg and caused an explosion.

When the dust cleared, Avalugg was still standing.

"Shit." Braedon muttered.

Avalugg took a step forward, and Braedon got ready to call out an attack.

Then Avalugg collapsed to the ground.

The three of them approached the Pokemon.

"It looks kind of peaceful like this." Amber said.

"Peaceful?" Argent shot her an incredulous look, complete with raised eyebrows. "It nearly killed us!"

Amber shrugged. "I know... But it's not now."

"You're insane." Braedon said, shaking his head slowly.

* * *

"...and then we caught the Avalugg." Argent finished.

Cassius whistled. "Ya three really are somethin' else. "

Amber blushed. "Not really. Catching Pokemon is our job."

"I know." Cassius smirked. "I hired ya, 'member?"

The three of them had left the cave and met Cassius at the Pokemon Center to say goodbye.

"I think I chose well." Cassius said. "That stupid church doesn't stand a chance."

They each said their goodbyes, then walked out.

As soon as they were outside, Amber turned to Braedon.

"Brae, what's wrong?" she asked him.

Braedon cursed internally. He had been praying that she had forgotten. No such luck.

"Like I said... You wouldn't understand." he said, walking faster.

"Braedon!" Argent grabbed his arm. "Understand what?"

Braedon yanked away. He wanted to run, but he knew that he would have to face them eventually. So he stopped and faced his friends.

"Understand what?" Argent repeated.

"That I'm getting married."

Argent reeled back in shock and Amber's eyes widened. "You're what?"

"See!" Braedon said, covering his face. "This is why I didn't tell you guys!"

"Braedon... What do you mean, you're getting married?" Amber asked in a high pitched voice.

"My dad called me today." Braedon explained. "He found me a husband. The Pokemon he sent was his way of saying 'congratulations'."

"I'm still not following you." Amber said. "Your dad called? He never calls! And why was he finding you a husband?"

Braedon shook his head. "I never told you this... But my dad is of the Arolite faith. According to the Maris, their holy book, father's chose their children's spouse."

"And you're going along with it?" Amber asked. "After all the shit he's pulled? The forgetting to call you, the ignoring you, and the general asshole demeaner?"

"You don't get it!" Braedon said. "I'm not seventeen like you and Argent! I had to get my dad's permission to go on this trip. He had to sign forms, and he wouldn't sign them unless I agreed to him picking a husband for me. I was too embarrassed to tell you."

Argent, who had been sitting through the whole exchange with his mouth open, found his voice. "You can't get married."

"I don't break promises." Braedon said hotly.

"Braedon, that's Tauros shit and you know it." Amber said. "You lie, you cheat, you steal, you play pranks. Honor isn't why you're doing this. And besides, you can't let him pick out your husband. He barely knows you."

Argent looked at him. "Braedon... Why are you doing this?"

Braedon blinked, and found that his eyes were watering. "The same reason I lie, cheat, steal, and play pranks. The same reason I get good grades and got into a top school. Because I want my dad to notice me, to care. All he cares about is work and his Faith... If I do this, he'll at least _acknowledge_ me. If I don't, if I defy his religion, he'll hate me."

Argent pursed his lip. "Braedon... You and Amber are the ones who taught me that I should be my own person, not the person my father wants me to be. Was all that just words?"

Braedon shook his head. "No... It's just easier said than done."

"Now you know how I feel." Argent said. "After all, I was recently disowned. But I'm still okay."

Braedon shook his head. "But if he gets mad, he'll probably send me home." Braedon said.

"You think we'll let that happen?" Argent said.

"He'll have to fight us for you." Amber agreed. "We're already being hunted by the Hallowed Church. Your dad is positively cuddly compared to them."

Braedon wiped his eye. "So what? I'm just supposed to tell my father to suck it? And hope that he doesn't pull me from the program?"

"Crude way of putting it, but yes." Argent said. "If he accepts you anyway, than he loves you. If not..."

"Then we'll be here for you." Amber finished.

Braedon felt warmth well up inside his chest. Of course he hadn't wanted to marry someone his father picked out, but he hadn't seen a choice then. But now he could.

Braedon reached forward and pulled them both into a hug. Argent squirmed a little, before giving in.

"Let's get out of here." Braedon said. "I have to make a phone call."

* * *

Braedon wasn't sure whether he would pick up. Part of him wished he wouldn't.

"Hello? Braedon?"

 _Shit._

"Hey dad." Braedon said nervously.

"Braedon, don't mince words." he said. "I'm very busy."

"I-uh-" Braedon internally cursed. This was way harder than he thought. And he had expected it to be extremely difficult.

"Braedon, hurry up." Dad snapped.

"Dad... I..." Braedon gulped.

"Braedon, I'm hanging up now."

Then Braedon lost it.

"Don't you dare!" Braedon snapped. "This is important!"

"So is my job-"

"It's about the marriage." Braedon blurted out.

There was a pause.

"What is it?" Dad asked.

"Dad... I can't go through with it." Braedon said. "I can't get married to a stranger."

"Braedon, I understand you're nervous, but Ken is a very nice boy." Dad said.

"No, you don't understand." Braedon said. "I don't want to disrespect you, but I can't do it."

"Braedon, we're not doing this." Dad said. "You are getting married to Ken. I don't know why you have changed your mind-"

"But I haven't!" Braedon argued. "I never wanted this! I just agreed for to make you happy. But my happiness matters too. And I can't be happy married to a someone I don't love."

"You'll learn to love him." Dad said insistently. "Like I did for your mother."

"Because that worked out so well." Braedon snapped.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Braedon regretted them.

"Dad, I'm sorry- I didn't mean-"

But he had hung up.

* * *

Michael Lovette put his phone down.

Someone knocked on the door tentatively.

"Come in." he said in a gruff voice.

Mitzuki entered the room slightly. "Mr. Lovette?" Mitzuki said. "Mr. Ao is here to see you."

Mr. Lovette almost looked pained, but he hid it quickly. "Let him in."

Mitzuki stepped aside and let the man in.

Ken Ao was a sharp looking man. Despite being eighteen, he wore a suit and kept his black hair neatly trimmed.

"Hello, sir."

"I've told you before," Mr. Lovette said. "Call me Michael."

Ken smiled. "Okay, Michael. I came by to check and see if you have informed my Braedon of our engagement."

If he were any other man, Michael Lovette would of paled. But Michael Lovette wasn't just any man. After all, Braedon had got his craftiness from somewhere, amd it wasn't his mother.

So Michael thought up a scheme before Ken was even finished talking.

"He has, unfortunately, had some second thoughts." Michael clicked his tongue.

"Second thoughts?" Ken asked.

"Yes." Michael said. He had to craft his words carefully. "My son seems to be opposed to marrying someone he's never met."

"Then he must meet his suitor at once!" Ken declared. He had always been a tad melodramatic.

"I'm afraid he has. Just not you." Michael said. He had to force himself not to smile. This was too easy.

"What?" Ken gasped. "Who is this boy? I will show him the true power of a member of the Ao clan!"

Michael tried to remember the other member of the Prodigy Program. "I think his name was Argent. One of Braedon's travelling companions."

"Then I will fly to where they are at once!" Ken declared, heading to the door. "No one steals my betrothed!"

"Before you go," Michael said. "You must know that Braedon and his lover are keeping their relationship secret. So they may deny it."

"Deny it all they want," Ken said. "I will win over his heart!"

And with that last declaration, he left the office.

Mitzuki cleared her throat. "Sir." she said. "I wasn't aware Braedon and his friend were romantically involved."

"They aren't." Michael said.

"Then why did you tell Mr. Ao that they were?" She asked curiously.

"Because what better way to motivate someone as prideful as Ken?" Michael said. "Someone with the skills, resources, and charm to win Braedon over?"

"You truly are a genius." Mitzuki said.

* * *

 _ **A/N: What will happen? Will Braedon have to get married? Find out next week**_ ** _!_**

 _ **A/N 2: Sorry if all this marriage stuff seems out of no where. I**_ ** _without it, Braedon's dad is basically the same as Argent's dad. But the difference is that Platine's motivation is to control his sons, while Michael's motivation is to stick to tradition. And Michael is going to be imvovled in the plot more, so I can develop him as a separate person from Platine._**


	32. Chapter 32: For the Love of Ken!

Braedon wasn't sure what he did to deserve Amber and Argent, but he knew it must have been something incredible.

They didn't ask him what happened, or how he felt. They gave him the space he needed.

They let him wallow in his misery, and it was one of the nicest things they had done for him.

But that was last night. Braedon had promised himself that he wouldn't sulk today, that he wouldn't bring his friends down with him.

So, in the morning he plastered a smile on his face and met his friends in the PC lobby.

"Hey," Amber said tentatively as he approached. "How you feeling?"

"Great." Braedon said. "My dad may be a dick, but that's his problem, right?"

Argent stared at him intently, like he was studying Braedon. But he didn't comment further.

"Alright then." Argent said. "I guess we should get going then. We have to cross Route 17 before noon if we want to make it to Anistar City before nightfall."

"Isn't Route 17 Mamoswine Road?" Braedon asked.

Argent nodded. "So we'll be riding Mamoswine to get across. Should be fun." He glanced at Braedon. "If you're up for going today, that is."

Braedon grinned. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Amber and Argent exchanged a knowing look. Braedon decided to take back what he said about them being great.

"I'm _fine._ " Braedon insisted. "And we're going today."

He marched out the door.

Outside, the sky was bright and clear, as if to mock Braedon.

Amber and Argent followed him out. "Braedon." she said. "Stop hiding your feelings from us. We can't help you unless you let us."

Braedon wanted to run. He wanted to hide. It was so much easier to do that than talk about how he felt.

But, just like last night, he couldn't run. Not from his friends.

"I-" Braedon started.

"Braedon!"

All three of them turned. Running towards them was a familair man in a suit and briefcase.

"Do I know-" Braedon said, but was once again interrupted.

"Braedon, it's me! Ken Ao!" he said between gasps of air.

"No way." Braedon said. Did Arceus hate him? "How did you even get here?"

"I flew!" Ken said eagerly.

Braedon groaned. He was like a well dressed _puppy._

"Um, Braedon." Argent said. "Who is this?"

Ken turned to Argent. "You!"

Argent backed away. "Me?"

"You are the one who stole Braedon from me!" Ken said. "I challenge you to a battle for him!"

"Excuse me?" Braedon and Argent said together. But while Argent sounded confused, Braedon was _pissed._

"I am not yours!" Braedon said. "And I'm not a prize to be won, either!"

Ken reeled in shock. "I didn't mean to imply-"

"Wait, wait, wait." Argent said. "I'm still confused."

"Same." Amber said.

Braedon sighed and rubbed his temple. "This is Ken. He's the man my father chose for me."

Argent's eyes widened. "Him? But how is he here?"

Ken glared at Argent. "I flew here as soon as My Father-in-law told me about you."

"What about me?" Argent asked.

"Don't play with me." Ken crossed his arms. "You stole him from me!"

Argent visibly paled. "I did what?"

Braedon was torn between being mad at Ken and being embarrassed. "...Argent and I? We aren't dating."

"What do you call it then?" Ken said. "If it's not dating? Wait. Does that mean he's already proposed?"

Argent started to sputter.

Braedon grabbed Amber and Argent's wrists. "That's it. We're going. Nice to meet you Ken. Have a nice life."

Braedon began to drag his friends away.

"Where are you going?" Ken asked. Braedon stopped and let go of them.

"Dude." Braedon said. "Can you not take a hint? You and me-" Braedon made a gesture connecting the two of them. "Are _nothing_."

"Because of him!" Ken said.

Braedon refrained from slapping him. "Me and him-" Braedon repeated the gesture for Argent- "are _friends._ Nothing more."

"But-" Ken started.

Braedon grabbed Ken by the shoulders. "Stop. Is what you're about to say in any way related to us being a couple?"

He nodded.

"Then don't say it."

Braedon turned and started walking.

 _Please don't follow... Please don't follow..._ Braedon prayed.

And, low and behold, he didn't. He just stood there watching them go.

Amber and Argent looked at him.

Braedon sighed. "No, we are not talking about what just happened."

* * *

"Who does he think he is?" Argent huffed. "Claiming you like that. Like you would agree to it."

Braedon pulled a pack of potions from the pokemart shelves.

"I mean, who does that? Hopeless romantics, that's who."

Braedon turned to Amber. "There's a sale on antidotes."

She frowned. "We're going into the snow. What will we need antidotes for?"

Braedon shrugged and put them back on the shelf.

"How could he want a husband he barely knows? A marriage like that is statistically more likely to fail. It's completely illogical."

Braedon kept walking.

"And he actually thought that you and I were-were- _involved._ " Argent scoffed. "How ridiculous."

Braedon had had enough. "I thought I said I was done talking about it. Why do you care?"

They went to check out.

"I don't care." Argent said. "It just bothers me."

"If it bothers you, then you care." Amber pointed out cheekily.

Argent blushed. "I-I don't!"

They finished checking out, then walked out the door.

"Holy-"

Their was a trail of rose petals leading to Ken. Who was on a Rapidash. In a tux.

Braedon considered punching him.

"I swear to Arceus, I'm about to-" but he didn't get to finish his sentence, because Ken jumped off of his steed and grabbed both of Braedon's hands in his.

"What are you-"

"You said you didn't want to marry a stranger." Ken said. "So I'm asking you on a date. Get to know me."

Braedon started to blush. People were staring, including Argent.

Braedon snatched his hands away. "I don't want a date! I want to get on with my life. You know, the one that your not apart of?"

Ken shrank back. He looked so hurt, Braedon almost felt sorry for him.

Then Ken glared at Argent. "This is your fault!" he cried. "You stole him from me!"

"I did not!" Argent said. "He's not my boyfriend!"

"I challenge you to a battle for his love!" Ken declared.

Argent glared at him. "Braedon isn't a prize to be won. He's a person."

Ken seemed taken aback. "I wasn't- never mind! Are you scared to battle me?"

Argent grabbed a pokeball from his belt. "I'll fight you now."

"No," Braedon said. "I will."

Ken looked at him in shock.

"I'm not a prize." Braedon said. "And I'm not going to love you if you win. But I will go on a date with you if you can beat me."

Ken's eyes lit up. "Then prepare to date me, because I'm not going to lose!"

* * *

"This will be a one-on-one battle," Amber said loudly. They were at the battlefield next to the Pokemon Center, and Amber was once again refereeing. Argent stood to the side, alternating between glaring at Ken and glancing at Braedon. "League rules, no items. First move goes to the lowest level Pokemon. Trainers, release your Pokemon!"

Braedon launched a pokeball into the air. "Pancham, I choose you!"

Pancham appeared on the field with a grin. She put her fist into her palm like she was punching it.

"You ready?" Braedon asked her. She smirked at him, which, in Braedon's eyes, was a good answer.

Ken grabbed a "Go, Rapidash!"

Ken's steed appeared and stood on it's hind legs.

"Dash!" it whinnied.

Braedon brought out his Pokedex.

" _Rapidash_ , _T_ _he Fire Steed Pokemon."_ it said. " _Rapidash_ _is ve_ _ry competitive. This Pokémon will chase anything that moves fast in the hopes of racing it. This Rapidash is Female. Level 30. Ability: Flash Fire. Moves Known: Flame Charge, Poison Jab, Take Down, and Stomp._

Ken scanned Pancham with his Pokedex. As he did, Braedon watched him in amazement. Ken's silly demeanor was gone. His eyes were just as fierce as they were in the picture Braedon's dad had shown him. He was clearly determined to win.

"Are both of you ready?" Amber asked. She gave Braedon a reassuring look. Braedon smiled back.

"Then... Begin!"

"Rapidash, Flame Charge!"

Rapidash galloped forward and became engulfed in flames as she ran.

"Dodge!" Braedon yelled. Pancham jumped to the side right as Rapidash ran over the place where Pancham had been standing moments prior.

"Flame Charge again!" Ken yelled.

She rammed into Pancham before Braedon could tell her to dodge. Pancham flew backward and skidded across the dirt.

"Pancham!" Braedon yelled. She stood up shakily.

 _Sh_ _e's too fast._ Braedon thought. _And Flame Charge just makes her faster._

"Pancham," Braedon said. Brace yourself! Get ready to dodge!"

Rapidash rushed at Pancham again. Pancham tried to dodge but was too slow. He went flying and landed across the field.

"Braedon, don't let him beat you!" Argent yelled. "You're better than him! You just need to think harder!"

Ken just smiled. "Rapidash, Flame Charge!"

Rapidash began to run again.

"Roll!" Braedon yelled.

Pancham rolled to the side just in time to dodge the charge.

Rapidash kept going, then skidded to a stop.

 _She has trouble stopping..._ Braedon thought. _That's how I'll get her._

"Flame Charge!" Ken commanded.

"Pancham, Parting Shot!" Braedon yelled.

Pancham spit out it's tongue at Rapidash before disappearing in a red flash of light that went back inside the pokeball on Braedon's belt.

Rapidash tried to stop, but couldn't. She rammed into a tree and bounced off.

"Sableye, go! Shadow Claw!" Braedon threw Sableye's pokeball.

It opened in midair and Sableye appeared. Sableye's claw became wrapped in a purple aura as he slashed at Rapidash.

Rapidash turned around just in time to get a face full of Sableye's claws.

She reared back on her hind legs.

"Stomp!" Ken cried.

"Shadow Sneak, then Power Gem!" Braedon yelled.

Sableye melted into a Shadow right as Rapidash brought her hooves down in a powerful attack that cracked the battle field. Sableye slithered away to the other side of the field, then became solid again. His gemstone eyes began to glow as glowing gems started to form around him. They shot at Rapidash and hit her right as she turned around.

Rapidash collapsed.

"Rapidash!" Ken yelled. He ran to her.

"I lost?" he said, cradling Rapidash's head. "How could I lose?"

Braedon walked up to him and observed the tender way he held his Pokemon.

"Dash..." Rapidash muttered.

Ken smiled and pulled out a pokeball. "It's not your fault. Return, my friend." he pressed the button on the pokeball and Rapidash disappeared.

Ken looked up at Braedon, then stood. He didn't meet Braedon's eyes. "I'm sorry. I can't believe I lost... I'm not fit to be your husband."

"You still don't get it." Braedon said. "That's not why I won't marry you! A marriage takes _actual love._

 _"_ But I love you!" Ken cried.

 _"_ No, you don't." Braedon said in a softer voice. "Love takes time. Love takes effort. You can't just love someone you barely know."

Ken frowned. "But I can learn to love you! If we get married we'll have all the time in the world to-"

"Stop." Braedon said. "Think about what you're saying. If we just get married, it will be like love was just handed to us. That's not real love. Real love is a a gift. One you have to work hard to earn."

Amber and Argent had approached while Braedon had been talking. He turned to them.

"They're my best friends." Braedon said. "They've spent months getting to know me before I could call them that. I didn't just love them, it came over time."

Ken met Braedon's gaze. "I can make time. I can get to know you. I'll do whatever it takes."

Braedon sighed. "How about we start as friends and go from there?" he suggested.

"Friends?" Ken asked.

Braedon stuck out his hand. "Friends." he said.

They shook on it.

"Now that we're friends..." Ken said. "I'd like to invite you all out to eat. My treat."

Braedon raised an eyebrow. "This isn't some trick to get me to date you, is it?"

Ken laughed. "No. I'm just just being friendly."

"We'd love to." Amber said. She elbowed Argent.

"Ow! I mean yes." Argent said. "We would love to."

* * *

It was nine by the time they got home from dinner with Ken. Braedon was actually starting to like him. He was sweet, if a bit loud and dramatic. But Braedon still didn't want to date him.

Braedon remembered what Ken had told him.

"You know, I never actually had friends." he said, excitement dancing behind his eyes.

"Why not?" Braedon asked.

"I was homeschooled." he explained.

Braedon had guessed as much. Being the son of a rich father, he knew many of his father's friends homeschooled their children.

Amber and Argent seemed to get along well with Ken too. Which was surprising in Argent's case, as he seemed to only complain about Ken before.

Braedon pinned the change on Argent being a strange guy.

Now, Braedon was outside the Pokemon Center, holding his Holo in his hand.

 _Love takes time. Love takes effort._

Braedon loved his dad. That meant he had to work for his love, right? The two of them had been trapped in this cycle for too long- Braedon chasing after his attention, then his dad ignoring him. It had to end, and one of them had to end it.

Braedon dialed the number.

His dad picked up after two rings.

"Braedon-"

Braedon cut him off. "No. Don't talk, just listen. You've ignored me for too long. If you had taken the time to get to know your own son, you would know that I'd never marry a stranger. But you don't know, because you ignore me. I'm done chasing after your attention. Either you start accepting my calls and listening when I talk, or I you don't. I don't care either way, but I thought I'd give you the option."

Braedon braced himself for yelling.

"Braedon." Dad said. "Is that really how you feel? Do I ignore you?"

Braedon nearly fainted from shock, but he recovered quickly. "Yeah, you do."

"And you really don't want me to pick your husband?"

"No, Dad." Braedon said. "I appreciate the sentiment, and I respect your culture, but I want to chose my husband. Later, when I'm an adult."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Dad asked.

"I didn't think you would listen." Braedon said.

"I'm listening now." he said. "And I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm always so busy, and that I never call. Truth is, I'm scared to."

"Scared?" Braedon asked.

"Yes." Dad said. "I don't understand how to talk to you. Not like your mother did. I'm no good at interacting with people. I know that that's a sorry excuse, but it's all I have."

"Dad... I can't tell if you're sincere or just making excuses."

"I am sincere."

"Then prove it." Braedon said. "Call me once a week. That's all. If you can do that, I'll believe you."

"I'll try." Dad said. "But I have to go now. I will call you."

"Bye Dad."

"Goodbye. I love you." he said, then hung up.

"Love you too." Braedon said to the empty line.

* * *

 ** _A/N: And that's a wrap, folks. Say goodbye to that story arc._**

 ** _Reader question time! Should Ken and Sapphire be reoccurring characters? Tell me in the Comments/Reviews!_**

 ** _Also, Absol won the poll. So expect to see that Pokemon soon, unless someone votes soon. Check my profile for the poll!_**


	33. Chapter 33: Confection Collection

Amber was worried about Braedon, but he seemed fine when he entered the Pokemon Center Lobby the next day.

"Ready to go?" he asked her and Argent.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Amber asked. "I mean, we can stay another day if you don't feel up to it. Mamoswine Road will still be there."

"Why wouldn't I feel up to it?" Braedon asked.

"Well, you've went through a lot over the past few days." Amber said tentatively. "It's okay if you don't want to-"

"I'm fine." he said cheerily. "Besides, we're already late. We have to leave town _sometime._ "

Argent looked up from his Holomap. "I agree that we need to get going, but we're a group. If one of us wants to stay behind, then the rest should respect their decision."

"And I decide that we should go." Braedon said. "So let's go."

"And I decide that we're staying." Amber countered.

"Am, we have a job to do." Braedon pointed out.

"Your well being is more important." Amber said firmly. She crossed her arms. "You deserve a day off. Tell him Argent."

"No," Braedon said. "Tell her that I'm fine."

Argent looked between the two of them. "Or, you could both tell each other."

"Argent!" they both cried.

"Fine." Argent said. "I personally want to get going today..."

"Ha!" Braedon gloated.

"...but I'm going to vote that we stay here." Argent finished.

Amber smirked. "Ha! Two against one! We're staying here and you're going to relax for a day."

Braedon rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Then what are we gonna do all day."

 _Crap._ Amber hadn't thought of that.

Braedon smirked at the look on her face. "Nice planning, Am."

Argent put his Holomap in the center of the table. He switched it on, and a detailed holographic map of the town appeared above the device. "That's okay. I will plan today's activities, like I plan everything else. Let's see... There is a boutique around the corner, but we have already been there. There is a battle facility close by, but that doesn't seem like the kind of activity for a relaxing day off. And I see a sweet shop on 103rd-"

"Sweets?" Amber asked excitedly. "Can we go there?"

Braedon grinned and peered over Argent's shoulder to see the Holomap. "That does sound fun."

"Then I guess we have our first activity." Argent said. "Now to plan the next one."

"Why do we have to plan?" Braedon asked. "Can't we just go now, then decide what to do when we get there?".

"No." Argent said dismissively. "That's a horrible idea."

Do they let Argent plan out the whole day for them (Amber decided to just let him have his fun), then, thirty minutes later, they were ready to head to the sweet shop.

"I hope this place sells treats for Pokemon too." Amber said as they walked down the street.

Braedon nodded. "Same. We need at least one treat for everyone."

They kept walking, passing by several people and Pokemon down the busy road. After stopping a few times to pet Pokemon (Amber) and pick flowers (Braedon), they were scolded for derailing off schedule (Argent).

Finally, they arrived at the sweet shop.

 _Callie's Candies_ the sign above the shop said. Amber approached the windows joyously.

"Amber, you're drooling." Braedon teased.

"Am not." Amber said, inspecting the treats in the window display. A giant cake was at the center, made with to look like a rainbow fountain. To it's left was several bowls full of assorted candies and confections. To it's right was plates of cookies shaped like various Pokemon.

"I think I died and ascended to heaven." Amber muttered.

"They're just sweets."Argent scoffed. "I don't see what you are getting so worked up about."

"Spoil sport." Amber said.

"You're no fun." Braedon agreed.

"I just don't see the appeal." Argent said.

"Then let's go inside, and I'll show you the appeal." Amber said.

She led them through the front doors.

The inside was colorful and bright. The walls and carpet were made to look like a tie dye shirt, giving the room extra vibrancy. But that's not what Amber paid attention to.

Lining the shelves and covering the tables were a variety of confections. Donuts, rock candy, syrups, Calissons, Pokepuffs, macaroons, nougat, caramels, and even treats Amber couldn't name.

This time, Amber's mouth _did_ water.

"Never mind," Amber said. " _Now_ I'm in heaven."

"Welcome to Callie's Candies!" a smiling woman with bright pink hair greeted them. "Look around. If you like something, let me know!"

"We will!" Braedon said. He thanked her.

"Are you Callie?" Argent asked.

"You betcha!" she said. "Callie Anise, at your service!"

"Your shop is simply amazing!" Amber said.

"Why, think you!" she said. "I've never seen you three around. Are you all travelers?"

"Yes ma'am." Argent said. "We're on our Journey right now."

"Excellent!" she said. "Take as much candy as you can carry."

Amber's face broke into a smile. "I like the sound of that!"

The three of them began to browse the shelves. Several times, Argent and Braedon reminded Amber that they could only carry so much.

Amber Ignored them and got one of nearly everything.

They went to check out.

"Thanks for shopping here!" Callie gushed.

"No, thank you!" Amber returned in the same tone.

"Say, can I ask you three a tiny favor?" Callie asked.

"Sure." Braedon said.

Callie turned away from them and pulled opened the door behind her. She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Swirlix, could you come here?" she shouted into the room.

Out of the open door flew out a white Pokemon that appeared to be made out of cotton candy.

"This is Swirlix." she said. "Could you battle him for me?"

Amber ran her hand through Swirlix's fur, surprised to find that it was sticky.

"Huh?" Amber asked. "Why?"

"Swirlix loves to battle." Callie explained. "And you three are trainers, so I thought you could help me by battling him."

"Sure." Amber said, hugging it close. "I'd love to battle this cutie."

Amber pulled a piece of candy out of her bag and gave it to Swirlix.

"Swirlix is made of cotton candy, so isn't this cannibalism?" Braedon wondered.

Argent sighed. "No. Swirlix is not actually made of cotton candy-"

Braedon sighed audibly and pulled out his Holocaster. He typed something in it, then shoved it under Argent's nose.

"What is this?" Argent asked.

"The definition of a joke." Braedon said. "Since you don't seem to understand."

"Behave, you two." Amber chided them. She turned back to Callie. "As I was saying, we'd love to battle Swirlix."

"Then let's go." Callie said.

Callie switched the sign on the door from "opened" to "closed" and the five of them left.

"The battle between Callie Anise and Amber Dupont will now begin." Argent said. He was acting as referee. "This will be a one-on-one battle, league rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to the lowest level Pokemon. Trainers, release your Pokemon."

Amber pulled out a pokeball. "Go Vivillon!"

She threw a pokeball. It opened and Vivillon appeared.

"Swirlix, go!" Callie said. Swirlix flew onto the field.

Amber brought out her Pokedex and scanned Swirlix.

" _Swirlix, The Cotton Candy Pokemon. Because it eats nothing but sweets, its fur is as sticky sweet as cotton candy. This Swirlix is Male. Level 34. Moves Known: Play Rough, Energy Ball, Cotton Guard, and Sweet Scent. Ability: Sweet Veil."_

"Begin!" Argent yelled.

"Vivillon, Struggle Bug!" Amber yelled.

Vivillon began to shake and thousands of tendrils shot towards Swirlix.

"Oh no!" Callie said as the tendrils hit Swirlix.

 _Why didn't she tell him to dodge?_ Amber wondered.

"Swirlix, Energy Ball!" Callie yelled.

Swirlix shot a ball of green energy at Vivillon. It missed.

 _For a Pokemon that loves to battle, he's poorly trained._ Amber thought. _That attack missed by a wide margin."_

"Vivillon, Gust!" Amber commanded.

Vivillon began to flap it's wings. It created a gust of wind that threw Swirlix across the field.

Swirlix fainted.

 _Did he just faint after two hits?_

Amber, Braedon, Argent, and Callie ran to Swirlix and Callie scooped him up in her arms.

"I'm sorry Swirlix." She said. "I'm no good at battling."

"I'll say." Argent said. "Your Swirlix is poorly trained."

"Argent!" Amber and Braedon shouted.

"No, it's okay." Callie said. "He's right. And Swirlix isn't really mine. He's a stray I found in my shop a few weeks ago."

"Why didn't you catch him?" Amber asked.

"I'm not that good of a trainer..." Callie admitted. "He always beats my Pokemon when I battle him."

"I think we can help with that." Amber said. "But first, let's take Swirlix to the Pokemon Center."

* * *

Olivia watched as Amber, Braedon, and Argent talked to their new friend. Carrie might have been her name. Something like that.

No Hallowed Church in sight. Olivia had been sure that they would follow The Prodigies, but no such luck.

"Move closer, Jolt." Olivia said into her microphone. Jolt, Olivia's Joltik, moved closer to the kids. On it's back was a tiny camera that was broadcasting straight to Olivia's laptop, with a microphone chip attached.

They were battling. Amber and what's-her-name. What's-her-name was clearly a novice, while Amber was obviously not. Amber won quickly.

"Do another lap around, Talon." Olivia said. Talon, Olivia's Talonflame, screeched in agreement then did as he was told.

Olivia focused on the screen. Their were four cameras, each attached to one of the her Pokemon. Boo (her Pumpkaboo) and Jolt were watching The Prodigies, while Talon and Phox (her Delphox) were surveying the area.

No sign of Team Hallow on any of the cameras. Or at least no sign of any members Olivia knew. Which weren't that many.

Soon, she would have to confront the kids. It was her only option.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Callie asked. "I hope we aren't going to far..."

"Don't worry." Amber said as she led them down Route 16. "We're just here because there's less people and more room."

"Can I ask what we're doing out here?" Argent asked.

"We're training Swirlix." Braedon said. "Duh."

"Here's good." Amber said. She began to pull things out of her backpack.

"What are those?" Callie asked.

"Targets." Amber said. "Their built to withstand Pokemon attacks. We use them to train our Pokemon. Now, Swirlix will use them to practice Energy Ball. I noticed it had trouble aiming earlier."

Swirlix, who was floating above Callie, looked sheepish. "Swirl..."

"It's okay." Amber smiled at him. "We'll make you an expert in no time."

Five minutes later, and Swirlix was definitely _no_ t an expert. He had missed almost every target Amber had pinned to the trees, and had almost hit Braedon twice.

"Why me?" Braedon sulked.

"Karma." Argent suggested. "Have you done anything wrong lately? Like prank someone who didn't deserve it?"

"I said I was sorry!"

"After ten minutes of laughing!"

Amber ignored them and focused on Swirlix. "You need to focus on the target." Amber said. "Here. Watch." she pulled out a pokeball. Argent and Braedon stopped arguing and followed her lead.

"Go, Tyrunt! Dragon Pulse!"

"Sableye! Power Gem!"

"Honedge! Shadow Ball!"

All of them launched their attacks, hitting the three targets perfectly.

Swirlix sweatdropped. "Swirl..."

"Did you see that?" Braedon said.

Swirlix shook his head.

"Here." Argent said. "Watch closely this time. Shadow Ball again, Honedge!"

"Hone!" Honedge shot another ball of violet energy at the target. It hit perfectly.

"Swirl swirl!" Swirlix began to bounce up and down excitedly. It shot out a Energy Ball.

The Energy Ball flew above Braedon's head, knocking his hat off.

"Why me?" he repeated.

"Swirlix!" Swirlix apologized.

Amber pursed her lips. "I see what your problem is. You're just shooting your attacks willy-nilly. You need to calm down before you attack. Try taking a deep breath, then using Energy Ball."

Swirlix stopped bouncing. He took a deep breath, then shot a Energy Ball. It hit the target dead on.

"Nice job!" Amber hugged Swirlix, then regretted it. It took six minutes to get get him off of her, he was so sticky.

Ten minutes later, and Swirlix was hitting the targets most of the time from farther back.

"Okay. For this next exercise we'll need Steel Types." Amber said.

Braedon clasped Argent's shoulder. "You're up bro."

Argent pulled out a second pokeball.

"Klefki!" he called. Klefki appeared.

"Now, use Play Rough on them." Amber said.

"Swirl?" Swirlix said.

"Don't worry." Amber said. "It won't hurt them. Steel Types don't feel Fairy Type moves."

Callie frowned. "I didn't know that."

"But it's basic Type effectiveness-" Argent started, but Braedon elbowed him.

"Try doing it now." Amber said encouragingly.

Swirlix began to glow pink. It rammed into Klefki and Honedge and began to rip at them with it's teeth.

"Keep going!" Amber called out. "This is where your excess energy comes in handy! Let it all out!"

Within ten minutes Swirlix was done. He started to droop as he smiled contently.

"Nice job." Argent said appreciatively.

Amber laughed and Swirlix's smile became a full-blown grin.

Swirlix began to drop further. Soon the Pokemon was no longer floating but falling. Amber stuck out her arms to catch him.

"I guess he's all tired out." Amber said sofly, cradling him in his arms. "Poor guy."

Callie smiled. "I wouldn't say that. He has you now."

"Huh?" Amber asked.

"I want you to keep him." Callie said.

"But he's yours-"

"No he's not." Callie said. "I never caught him, and I barely know him.

"So you're just giving him away." Amber said.

Callie nodded. "It's for the best. Swirlix loves to battle. And I'm a baker, not a battler. I can't give him the life he wants. Part of being a good Pokemon trainer is making your Pokemon happy. I can't make him happy. You can, Amber."

"Swirl..." Swirlix muttered.

Amber smiled at him, then at Callie. "Thank you so much. I don't know how to repay you."

Callie smiled back. "As long as I get to say goodbye, I'm good. I'll miss this sticky ball of trouble."

Amber pulled a pokeball out of her bag, cradling Swirlix on one arm.

"Do you want to go with me, Swirlix?" Amber asked.

He smiled, showing Amber his adorable single fang.

Amber pressed the button on the pokeball. A red beam hit Swirlix and it disappeared. It shook once, twice, then clicked.

"Welcome to the team, Swirlix." Amber said.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Who is this mysterious girl who's following them? What are her intentions for the prodigies and the Hallowed Church? Find out next week!**_

 ** _Reader question time! Who's your favorite character? Tell me in your review!_**


	34. Chapter 34: Memories

Amber couldn't believe she had survived Mamoswine road.

"Thank Arceus were done!" she said as she dismounted from her Mamoswine. "It was so cold!"

Braedon laughed and stripped off his jacket. "True." he said. He had gotten off of his Mamoswine already, having plenty of practice riding Amber's Tauros at school.

Argent, however, was having problems. Braedon helped him down and was gentlemanly enough to wait till he was down to laugh.

The three of them had left Dendemille Town and Callie two days ago to travel Mamoswine Road, leading them to Anistar City. It was a boring two days, since there were no Pokemon from their list to catch.

But Anistar City was far from dull. From their position on Entrance 17 they could see the Sundial in the distance.

The sundial was made entirely of translucent pink crystal, and easily towered over most of the buildings. It had gold circles around a giant hole in the center of the crystal tower. The sun was gitting it just right, so it glowed a bright orange color.

"It's beautiful." Braedon muttered. Amber could only nodd in agreement.

They returned the Mamoswine to their borrowed pokeballs and gave them to the Delibird at the entrance of the route, who would fly them back to the rental company Amber had got them from.

The three of them began their trek to the Pokemon Center, stopping only to buy some scones from a vendor.

"So, where to next?" Amber asked Argent.

"We can stay here a day, then we have to head down Route 18." Argent said. "From there we go to Couriway Town."

Amber nodded. "So this is only a brief stop.

"Any Pokemon to catch on Route 18?" Braedon asked.

"Just Shuckle and Noivern." Argent sighed. "And the routes after this aren't any better. We really should have went down Route 15 from Dendemille."

"Then why didn't we?" Amber asked.

Argent shook his head. "Because going this way will lead us to Snowbelle City."

"What's there?" Braedon asked.

"I heard rumors of Zoroark there." Argent said. "It's the best lead I have to the rarest Pokemon on our list."

"Sounds fun." Braedon said.

"Yeah." Amber said. "Who cares if the next few Routes are boring. Zoroark will make it worth it."

Argent nodded. "If my theory pans out."

"It will." Braedon promised. "You're one of the smartest guys I know."

"Thank you." Argent said, and the two shared a smile.

The three of them kept walking until they reached the Pokemon Center. They entered.

Argent claimed a booth in the back of the Center so he could work on locating Pokemon. Amber and Braedon gave their Pokemon and Argent's to the nurse.

They joined him at the booth, Braedon sliding next to him and Amber sitting across from the two boys.

"Has your dad called?" she asked him.

"No." Braedon said. "He's supposed to call once a week, so he has a few more days."

"That's good." she said.

Argent stopped typing. "Amber... What about your parents?"

"Huh?"

Argent shrugged. "We know about my Dad and Braedon's dad. What aboit your parents?"

Amber looked down at the table. "They, um, died when I was little."

Argent blinked. "I'm sorry." he said softly. "I'll just go back to my research-"

Amber cut him off. "It's okay. It happened a long time ago. I already told Braedon. You're my friend too. I want you to know."

Argent smiled sadly. "Thank you for telling me."

"They died when I was four." Amber said. She tried to keep her voice level and show little emotion. "In a plane crash. They weren't the only ones to die. I stay with my aunt and uncle now."

"What are they like?" Argent asked. Amber knew he was trying to change the subject, and for that she was grateful.

"Loving." she said. "Protective. They barely let me go on this trip."

"They sound great." Argent said.

"They are." she said. "They're a little stubborn and narrowminded though."

"How so?" Argent asked.

"They hate Braedon, and refuse to give him a chance." Amber said.

"To be fair, many people hate Braedon." Argent pointed out.

Braedon gave him his most sour face. "As if. People love me."

"Until you rob them blind." Argent said teasingly.

Amber laughed at that. "No way. Braedon's changed. He hasn't stolen anything for months."

"He still pranks people." Argent said with a glare.

"I _said_ sorry." Braedon said. He looked at Amber. "What about you?"

"What about me?" Amber asked.

"You're not excatly tge same as you were when we started this journey." Braedon said.

"She used to be so shy. Now she's less so." Argent said with a smile. "I feel like I've changed some too. I used to hate both of you."

"Really?" Braedon said. "We hadn't noticed. You're also less of a prick. Slightly."

"And you haven't matured at all." Argent retorted.

"True though." Braedon admitted.

"I think he's matured a little." Amber said. "We've been through to much not to have matured."

"Like almost dying several times?" Braedon asked.

"Exactly." Amber said.

They all laughed.

"It isn't all bad." Argent said.

"Right." Amber said. "We've had fun too."

"Fighting Talonflame was fun," Braedon said. "If terrifying."

"So is planning all of this and finding Pokemon." Argent said.

"You know what was especially fun?" Amber asked. "Beating Rios and Scarlett. Not the dangerous part, but the part where we wiped the gloor with their Pokemon abusing asses."

"Nearly beating my smug brother was fun." Argent said. "So is all the training."

Amber smiled. These were the memories she loved. This is why people went on a Journey.

They spent the rest of the day reminiscing, from all the Pokemon they caught to the places they've been.

They were having fun, talking to each other with smiles on their faces.

 _How could they be having fun?_ Olivia thought. _Don't they know the danger they're in?_

Maybe they don't. The three of them didn't know Team Hallow the way she did. They didn't know how powerful the Church was.

Olivia told Joltik to get closer. He did as he was told.

Now they were laughing. Well, they wouldn't be for long.

 _A/N: Just who is Olivia? A friend or foe? And when will the Hallowed Church make their move? Find out soon!_

 _A/N 2: Sorry about this filler chapter. I was feeling sentimental. We've exceeded 2000 views! That's including all the sites I've posted this to._

 _Expect some stuff to happen next chapter. How much stuff, who knows._


	35. Chapter 35: The Holy Legion

"Kleki, Foul Play!" Argent yelled.

Klefki rushed forward and began to repeatedly slash at Kecleon with it's keys.

"Kecleon, Wrap, then slam him down!"

Kecleon grabbed Klefke with his togue and slammed him in to the ground over and over.

Klefki fainted.

"This win goes to Braedon!" Amber announced.

"Yes!" Braedon cheered.

Argent returned Klefki. "Good job." he told Klefki's pokeball. He then looked at Braedon. "You too."

Braedon grinned.

The three of them were outside Anistar City, on Route 18. It led to Their next destination, Terminius Cave, then to Couriway Town.

The Route was interesting enough. It was an abandoned mining field next to a river. Years ago, the mining had left the route barren and the river polluted, but revently Pokemon trainers in the area had been using their Pokemon to help clean the place. The only sign that it was used for mining was the tracks that led into the mines.

"We better get going." Amber said. "That's enough training for one day."

"Can we stop to eat first?" Braedon asked. "It's almost noon, and I'm starv-"

"Talon!"

Argent looked up. A large red object was heading straight for them from the skies.

Argent immeadiately pulled out a pokeball, and didn't have to look to know that his friends were doing the same.

"Wait!" Braedon put down his ball. "It has a person on it's back. It's not attacking. It's a trainer."

Argent looked into the sky, then put down his ball as well. Amber followed his example.

"Talonflame!" The large Flying Type landed in front of them, and the girl on it's back dismounted.

She was tan, with black hair that curled at the end and purple eyes. She wore a simple white shirt and black vest combo over cargo shorts and combat boots.

Amber shrank behind Braedon. Even though she was braver than she had been previously, she still seemed weary of strangers, Argent noted.

Argent stared at the new girl. Something about her was incredibly familair, but Argent couldn't place it.

"Hello." she said with a small smile. "I'm detective Oliva Thompson."

"Detective?" Argent said.

She nodded.

"We're-" Amber elbowed him, which was wise of her. Braedon should know better than to give out their name to stranger people.

"I know you three." Olivia said. "Amber, Braedon, and Argent. The esteemed Prodigies hired by Cassius."

"How do you know us?" Argent asked. "It's not like we're well-known."

"We have a blog." Braedon reminded him earnestly. "With 300 followers."

Argent sighed and Amber elbowed Braedon again.

"I know you because of my job." Olivia said. "Though don't sell yourselves short. You've accomplished a lot."

Argent realized who she reminded him of. _Braedon_. She had that same mischievous light dancing behind her eyes, though it was the way she complemented them that made the comparison sharper. She was gving them praise to bitter them up, make them like her. Olivia was crafty, like Braedon.

"What do you want?" Argent said.

Olivia's small grin morphed into a full blown smile. "Straight to the point. Alright. I'm a detective for the International Police, Kalos division. I'm hnting the Hallowed Church."

"You're what?!" Braedon reared back in shock, bumping into Amber.

"Show us you're badge." Argent said.

Olivia opened her jacket and pulled out a rectangular badge that read: _Olivia Thompson, IPF, Kalos. 2109866_

"You're the real deal." Amber said.

"Is she though?" Braedon wondered. "I've impersobated plenty of people before. It's easy. I could get a badge like that in six to nine business days."

Argent pulled out his Pokedex and typed in a few keys. "I'm checking the International Police database online now. " he said. "She's legitimate. Her face and number are on the page."

"See?" Olivia said. "I'm the real deal. Not that you shouldn't be cautious, with Team Hallow hunting you and all."

"How do you know that?" Amber asked quietly.

"I'm a detective." Olivia said. "Impressed?"

"Not really." Argent said. "The fact that we were attacked by TheHallowed Church is news known b the police. The Churchhas a reputation for leaving no survivors. Anyone can add."

Oliva raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Smart ones, you three. Like t;at blogger said."

Argent sweatdropped. "You read his blog?" he muttered.

"Of course I did." Olivia said. "I'm hunting the Hallowed Church, and their hunting you."

"So we're bait." Braedon said.

"To catch your prey, you have to track _it's_ prey." Amber said.

Olivia shook her head. "That's not it. I would never endamger a civilain like that."

"Then what do you want?" Argent reiterated.

"I want an interview. That's all." Olivia said. "I want to know everything you know about the Church."

Amber pursed her lips. "You mean an interrogation."

"Think of it more as a trade." Olivia said. "You tell me what you know, and I'll tell you what I know."

"Which is..." Braedon tapoed his foot.

"I know about the Church. Their members, their hierarchy. And you have personal experience with them, which I... Lack."

"You haven't fought them before?" Amber asked.

"I was just assigned to this case." she said. "And calling it a 'case' is a stretch. My boss is determined not to acknowledge that you three are in danger, or that The Hallowed Church is an official Villainous Team like Rocket and Flare."

"Why?" Braedon asked.

"They're scared." Olivia said. "If they classify The Hallowed Church as a Villainous Team, that opens a whole can of problems. The public would be worried sick, and followers of the religion who aren't part of the Team start bringing the heat on our department."

"That's it?" Amber asked. "That's your reasoning? Bad press and religious bigots? You're putting people in danger over that?"

"It's not that simple." Olivia said.

"Of course not." Braedon said. "When is it ever?"

"Religions are powerful." Olivia said. "Even small ones. People will die to defend their beliefs. If the general public thought that the International Police was attacking a religion, all religions would be on the defensive. It would be a controversy."

"So unless something major happens," Argent concluded. "The IPF will do nothing."

Olivia nodded.

"That's horrible." Amber said angrily.

"That's the real world." Olivia said. "The IPF is to protect the public, but it doesn't want the public to hate them for it. Remember how unpopular they were back when Team Flare was running around? The laws to stay in doors, the upping the age you can go on a Journey, the curfews? All extremely unpopular. The IPF lost a lot of funding for that, from private corporations who were unhappy with the laws."

Argent nodded. He remembered that vividly. The protests, the panic. There were people who didn't even believe Team Flare was really evil-it had been a respected organization before it was classified as a Villainous Team.

"So you just want an information?" Braedon said.

Olivia nodded again.

Amber and Braedon both looked at Argent. He wondered when they had started defering to him.

"Okay." he said. We'll do it."

* * *

Half an hour later, the three of them had told Olivia about all of their run ins with the church. It took longer than Argent expected, because she asked so many questions.

"So the Church wants the Pokedexes to commit mass Genocide." Olivia said. "That's a plausible theiry, but without substantial evidence I can't go to the board with that."

"Now it's your turn." Amber said. "Tell us about the Church."

"Like I said," Olivia said. She was sitting crossed legged on the ground in front of them. "It's a Hierarchy. Not all members of the Church are evil. Most are just everyday people following a religion. But Team Hallow is a group of religious extremists that consist of the Holy Legion and The Repented. Team Hallow is led by the Holy Legion, who rule over The Repented, who are basically foot soldiers. At the bottom of the Holy Legion is the Bishops. Their are seven. They lead the Repented, and are in turn led by The Arch Bishops. Their are three of those. They each lead two Bishops, and are led by The Head Priest. The Head Priest also has one Bishop."

"So that's eleven." Amber said. "One for each Pure Type. That can't be a coincidence."

"Especially since Rios, Scarlett, and Mulan specialized in Water, Fire, and Fighting, respectively." Argent said.

She nodded. "That's right. We know of only six of them. Masa, An ArchBishop of tge Electric Type, Her Bishops Volterre and Joseph, of the Ground and Normal Types, and The Bishops you encountered. All are in jail. But five are still on the loose."

"How powerful are the ones left?" Argent asked.

"Though they are not registered trainers, I have determined a rough estimate of their trainer level." she said. "The Bishops are Level Five. The Arch Bishops, Seven. And The Head Priest is rumored to be Level Ten."

Argent sucked in a breath.

"Ten?" Braedon said. "That's champion tier."

She nodded. "Exactly. That's what I'm dealing with. No one in the International police is over Level Eight. I myself am Level Seven."

Amber closed her eyes. "Level Ten... We can't handle that. We'll be decimated."

"You don't have to worry about that." Olivia said. "The Head Priest is not permitted to fight by the Church's doctrine, unless all of her Legion is defeated."

"Why?" Braedon asked.

"The Church's Holy Book, _Alvas_ , says so." Olivia said. "The Holy Legion is not a part of the Church's doctrine directly. The book does not say to create a Legion, which is why this religion has ecisted for so long without one. The book says their was one, during the days after Pokemon were cast to Earth to live with Humans, and it enforced Alleos' rule in his absence. As far as I can tell, the new Holy Legion is a group of individuals who believe the world is so corrupt that there is a need for a new Legion. So they started one."

"That's... Insane." Braedon said.

"I agree." Olivia said. "That's why I must stop them. And why I must ask you three to be careful on your Journey."

Argent frowned. "Should we even still be on a Journey? Shouldn't we be moved into witbess protection?"

"The Head Priest is Level Ten." Amber said. "No one can protect us."

"Which means we're not priority." Braedon said. "If we were, we would have been caught."

"Nice deduction." Olivia said. "You're right. Whatever there true objective, it does not entirely involve you."

"Then what do they want?" Amber wondered.

No one had an answer.

* * *

 ** _A/N: How will the Prodigies beat a Level Ten Trainer? And what are The Church's true motives? Review to find out?_**

 ** _A/N 2: Wow. That chapter was fun to write. And a lot has been revealed about the church so far, but much is still shrouded in secrecy._** ** _Have fun speculating._**


	36. Chapter 36: Of Talons and Flames

"So you used Parting Shot?" Olivia asked with a smile. She took a bite of her sandwhich. The four of them had stopped for lunch before Olivia had to leave. "Clever boy."

Braedon nodded. "Defeating Avalugg was a cinch after that."

She put a hand on his arm. "You're so smart."

Argent frowned. Why was she putting her hand on him? And why was he letting her?

Argent shook his head to clear it. Why did he care? Braedon wasn't even attracted to girls. And besides, she probably wasn't flirting anyway...

"Well, I have to go." Olivia said. "Thank you for lunch, and for the information. Talon, are you ready?"

Talon nodded. "Flame!" he cawed.

"It's really cool that you can ride your Talonflame." Amber said earnestly. "Especially with how hard it is to train one."

Olivia beamed. "It was nothing. I raised Talon from when it was a low level Fletchling, so it was easy. But Argent has a Talonflame too, one he tamed in it's final evolution. Taming one while fully evolved is impressive."

Argent sweatdropped. "It's no big deal..."

"Especially since you haven't tamed him yet." Braedon said with a smirk. "He can't even bring him out without him attacking us."

"I can help with that." Olivia said.

"How?" Amber asked.

"Well, training it must be hard if you can't fight with it." Olivia said. "But if your Talonflame sees mine, it will focus only on attacking Talon. It will completely ignore you three."

"So it can get experience without nearly maiming us." Braedon said.

Olivia nodded. "What do you say, Argent? Want my help?"

Argent pulled out Talonflame's pokeball. On one hand, he didn't want Olivia to stay longer. On the other hand, he wouldn't get another oppurtunity like this... And he'd love to beat her...

"Let's do it." Argent said.

Olivia backed away and Talon flew and landed in front of her.

"Talonflame, go!" Argent yelled. He threw his pokeball.

* * *

Talonflame looked around. She was finally outside her pokeball. Now where was that foolish human who tried to catch her?

"Talonflame!"

Talonflame looked forward. Stannding across a grassy field was the most handsome Pokemon she had ever seen.

His feathers had a certain sheen to them, and his beak was sharp and curved like a weapon. His claws were longer than that of any Talonflame she had ever seen. Most appealing of all, he radiated an aura of power that Talonflame could feel ripple through her body.

"Talon! Talon!" _Hello._ He said. _You are to be my challenger_?

"Talonflame!" _Yes. I'd love to._ She said.

"Talon! Talonflame-flame!" _My friend has named me Talon. You can call me that as well._

The human gave a command. Talonflame ignored him.

"Talon?" _You let it name you? How weak._

"Talonflame!" _I am not weak!_

Talon shot a jet of blue flames at Talonflame. She took to the sky swiftly, dodging the attack with ease.

"Talon!" _Nice shot!_ Talonflame yelled. She flapped her wings, creating razor sharp winds that shot at Talon.

Talon flew turned upward sharply and flew into the sky to dodge the attack.

 _He's fast..._ Talonflame thought.

The girl gave another command, and Talon folowed it. He flew towards Talonflame like a blur, then slashed at her.

Talonflame cried out in pain and began to plummet she caught herself before she hit the ground.

 _That attack was powerful._ Talonflame thought. _This opponent is stronger than even me._

"Talon!" _Take this!_ Talon yelled.

Talon shot a giant ball of fire at Talonflame. It turned into a something resembling a five pointed star and hit Talonflame.

Talonflame fell from the sky as pain seared through her body.

"Talonflame!" the human yelled.

Talonflame fainted.

* * *

When Talonflame woke up, her head was propped up and her whole body ached.

Talonflame looked around. Her head rested in the human's lap.

"You're awake." He said. "Good. Now I can give you a potion."

"Arg, I'm not sure that's a good idea." Braedon said. "Won't she attack once she's healed?"

"Talon!" _I won't let her._ Talon cawed.

Talonflame went still. She was far too weak to protest.

"Okay. Here goes." Argent said. He pulled out an object Talonflame didn't recognized. He wrapped his pale fingers- ugh, fingers. Humans are so ugly- around it and squeezed.

Stinging pain pierced Talonflame's wounds, like something was clawing into them.

Talonflame began to struggle. "Talon!" she cawed.

"Talonflame!" _Stop. Were trying to help._ Talon said softly.

"Shh." Argent said. "You're healing. See?"

Talonflame inspected her wounds. They were... Gone?

He had helped her? But why? She lost? Why did he still have interest in someone who was obviously weak?

Was it because, weak or not, she was still stronger than any of his captives? Yes. That had to be it.

Talon seemed to read her mind. "Talonflame. Talon-Talonflame." _He cares for the Pokemon under his care. That's what humans do._

 _"_ Talon _?" Why?_

 _"_ Talonflame." He said. _It's called being a good person._

 _Is that a human concept?_ Talonflame asked.

"Lon." _Yes._ Talon answered. "Talonflame-flame." _You do things nice for others, without wanting them to return the favor._

"Talon." _Strange._

"Talonflame, tal, talon." _Your human is strange. My human, Olivia, speaks highly of the strength of him and his companions._

Talonflame thought about that. Their strength was notable. They had beaten her, after all. And Talon, a high level Pokemon vouched for their power. Interesting.

They continued their conversation, oblivious to the humans around them. Well, almost oblivious. Talonflame noticed how the human- Argent- was stroking her feathers, similar to how her mother would. Only the boys claws were less precise and more caressing.

Talonflame sat up.

"Talonflame." _I've decided to partner with this human._ She said.

Talon looked shocked."Talon?" _Oh_?

"Talon, tal, tal!" _As you can see, I am not as strong as you. She said. And I intend to become stronger. To do that, I must train. Training with a human has helped you become strong. So I will try it too_.

Talon looked happy. _I look forward to my defeat at your hands._ He said.

* * *

Argent's legs were starting to fall asleep and he was sweating a little, but he didn't care. Talonflame looked to peaceful to disturb.

But eventually he had to return the sleeping pokemon to her pokeball.

"I'm heading out." Olivia said to them. She looked toward the setting sun. "It was nice to meet all if you."

"You too." Amber said. "Call us anytime."

"I'll take you up on that offer." Olivia promised.

"Be safe." Braedon said. "Take out some of Team Hallow for us."

Olivia laughed. "I'll bag the ones I catch and send them with a ribbon to your doorstep."

Argent stood up and walked to Olivia. He stuck out his hand.

"Thank you." he said. "Talonflame is much more tame now. I don't know why, but I know it's thanks to you and your Talon."

Then Olivia surprised him. She pulled him into a hug.

"You're welcome." she said in a voice that only Argent could hear. "And I hope you get your man."

"I-I-I'm not- How do you-"

Olivia pulled away. "I am a detective, after all."

"Huh?" Braedon asked. "What about being a detective."

Olivia laughed once more. "Nothing." she said. She looked at Talon. "Ready?"

He nodded, then spread his wings and took to the sky. He flew up into the sun, then swooped down and grabbed Olivia with his talons.

"Show off!" Braedon yelled as Olivia disappeared into the sky.

"I hope you know that your my rival now, Argent!" Olivia yelled as her figure became smaller.

"Are you blushing?" Amber asked Argent.

"N-no!"

* * *

 _ **A/N: Don't worry folks, Olivia will be back. She's too fun of a character to not come back.**_

 _ **Now Talonflame listens to Argent! Yay!**_

 _ **And now they all have a rival. Ken for Braedon, Sapphire for Amber, and Olivia for Argent.**_


	37. Bonus Chapter

_**A/N:**_ ** _Hi! Guess what? We've a total of 3000 views! 2137 on Fanfiction, 189 on wattpad, and 878 on quotev! So I decided to do a bonus chapter to celebrate!_**

 ** _A few days ago, I did a challenge involving most of my ocs on tumblr. So now I'm going to post that challenges._**

 ** _Thanks so much you guys for... Well, everything. The views, reviews, comments, follows, and favorites. You guys give me the motivation yo keep writing. Thank you all._**

 ** _Now, without further ado, the Character Challenge!_**

* * *

Tagged by one of my favorite mutuals, eien-ni-touko. Go follow her!

Make a list of 10 characters you like, and add yourself at a random place. Do this BEFORE reading/answering the questions. It doesn't matter in what order they are.

Tempano

2\. Allison Locke

3\. Dino Coleman

4\. Amber Dupont

5\. Braedon Lovette

6\. Argent Lancaster

7\. Me

8\. Ava Patton

9\. Nikolai Young

10\. Tyler Espinosa

1: 3 forgot to do her/his homework, and 8 is the only one around. How do they persuade them to let them copy their homework?

To get Dino to do his Homework, Ava would probably kick his ass.

2: 6 got drunk during a party, and somehow ended up kissing 2. How would 2 react?

Allison would get embarrassed and make sure no one mentioned it again.

3: 9 casually walks into a classroom, only to find 1 and 4 going through his/her stuff and finding something embarrassing. What did they find and what would happen?

Topher and Amber would find something along the lines of a sex toy and would be so shocked that shy, nerdy Niko is secretly kinky as fuck. They'd be too shocked to do anything.

4: 4 and 5 accidentally locked themselves in the basement in an abandoned house (don't ask how they got there) and there is no chance of getting out. What do they do?

The dynamic duo (Amber and Braedon) would probably freak out and call out all of their Pokemon for protection, and end up destroying the house and causing Argent a headache.

5: Describe/draw/write/whatever you like a scene where the whole group walks through a haunted forest at night.

James wasn't sure why a higher power chose tonight to pick on him, but here he was, in the forest with the oddest group conceivable.

They had all met each other in the forest purely by accident, each with a different reason to be there.

First there was the most destructive and rambunctious trio around, best friends Topher, Dino and Allison, who were there because they had gotten into an argument over who was braver. They were currently arguing about Arceus knows what. Their shouting probably scared off any ghosts near by.

Then there was the second Trio was another group of Pokemon Trainers, Amber, Braedon and Argent, who were looking for a rare Pokemon. As they conversed and planned, Argent and Braedon kept sneaking looks at each other. Wow, they are so gay for each other, it was almost annoying. Amber kept smiling too, like she knew their not-so-secret secret.

And lastly their was the final trio, Ava, Niko, and Tyler. Niko held onto his boyfriends arm and looked ready to bolt, while Tyler tried to look indifferent and annoyed all at once. Ava led them forward like a knight leading her army into battle, though James had no idea what they were battling because they refused to tell him. He did catch them mentioning something about "blights", whatever that meant.

And then there was James himself. He was just there on a dare from his friend Eien.

Suddenly, they all stopped when a loud howl pierced through each of them.

 _Oh no_ , James thought, _I'm going to die surrounded by lunatics._

6: 7 discovers he/she has a secret admirer. Who do they think it is at first thought? (Must be from your list)

Me. My first thought would be Braedon, since he's in love with anything that walks and has a Y chromosome.

7: A family member of 10 just died. Who tries to comfort him/her, and does he/she want comfort from that person, or do they rather want someone else?

Ava and Niko would try to comfort him, but Tyler wouldn't want it. He'd want to bury his feelings. But eventually he'd give in to them, and they'd be there for him, waiting for when he does.

8: The most canon like and the most crack like ship go on a double date together. You (whichever number you are) interrupt their date. What happens?

Braedon and Argent are on a double date with Dino and Ava. I interrupt them to warn them that (Insert villain here) are trying to (Insert villainous deed here). They take off to save the day and fuck shit up.

9: 3/6 or 3/9? Why?

Both are cute as fuck tho. Who to chose, Dino/Argent or Dino/Niko? Probably Dino/Niko, because their both otaku nerds and I'd love to see them geek out together

10: And finally, the whole group play s truth or dare. 5 dares 2 to kiss 4 on the mouth. How do they react?

"Excuse me?"

Braedon grinned evilly. This was _so_ payback for them making him streak. "You heard me, Allison. I dare you to kiss Amber."

Amber blushed and hid her face, then Allison started to sputter. The rest of the group broke into laughter.

"Oh my Arceus..." Amber said, her voice muffled by her hand.

Braedon's grin slipped off his face. "Am, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you, or anything. you don't have to-"

Amber silenced him with a glare, then grabbed Allison and pushed their lips together.

When they broke apart, Amber still looked indignant. She also looked smug.

"I'm not a child you have to coddle." She said. "I keep telling you this. And you should know, I'm getting you back."

Braedon gulped.

* * *

 ** _A/N: I also have a few announcements. This story will probably be updated less frequently, because I restarted my other story, Pokemon Alliance, and it needs more attention. Please go read it (it's called Pokemon Alliance, not Pokemon Alliance: Kalos). It intersects with this story and features the OCs showcased above._**

 ** _That's all folks!_**!


	38. Chapter 37: Rainbows and Stars

Couriway Town was, in a word, beautiful. Like Braedon's hometown of Cyperus and several other cities of Kalos, it had a river running through it. But unlike those cities, it bordered a magnificent waterfall on a cliff.

Amber, Braedon, and Argent had decided to skip Terminus Cave due to being low on supplies, and the fact that the only Pokemon they needed from their were Noivern and Noibat, two Pokemon that could be found in future places they would visit.

They had decided to pay the Couriway Waterfall a visit on their way to the Pokemart.

"This is great!" Braedon yelled over the roar of the waterfall. He leaned against the railing.

"Be careful." Argent warned. "We're not fishing you out if you fall in."

Braedon laughed. "Jerk. Doesn't matter, because I can swim."

"Braedon, that's one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world." Argent said. "You'd be ripped to shreds."

"Spoil sport." Braedon stuck out his tongue.

Amber rolled her eyes. "Leave it to you two to argue in front of a national park."

"We're not arguing." Braedon insisted. "We're having a discussion."

Amber rolled her eyes and focused on the waterfall in front of her. It was beautiful, so much so that Amber was almost surprised that it could kill someone.

"And I wouldn't fall in the waterfall, I'd fall in the water below." Braedon pointed out.

Amber leaned in closer to see better. The sun was shining beautifully, creating a rainbow with the mist.

Amber leamed even further forward. The scenery was so pretty...

"Amber, what are you doing?"

Braedon's voice cut through her. She looked down.

When had she started climbing over the railing?

"Amber!" Argent said. "Get down before you fall!"

Amber climbed down and leaned over the railing. At the bottom of the drop, there was a glowing red light in the water.

"Amber?" Braedon grabbed her and turned her towards him. "What were you doing on that railing? Were you going to jump?"

Amber shook her head. "I-I don't know. I can't remember climbing it. All remember was how pretty it looked."

Argent put a hand on her forehead. "Are you sick?"

Amber moved his hand gently. "No, I don't think so. I saw something down there."

"That's why you were going to jump?" Braedon asked.

Amber shook her jead vigorously. "No! I saw that _after._ I think whatever it was, it was controlling me."

Braedon frowned and looked over the railing. "I don't see anything."

Amber and Argent joined him. Sure enough, there was nothing but water below.

"I know I saw something." Amber insisted. She blushed in frustration and embarrassment.

Braedon put a hand on her shoulder. "We believe you. But if what you're saying is true, we need to get away from this railing."

* * *

They left the railing and met at the Pokemon Center, which was devoid of trainers. They sat at a booth in the back.

"The thing was probably a Pokemon." Braedon said once he sat down.

"And it was under water." Argent said. "A Pokemon that can control others and breath under water. That narrows it down a little. It has to be a Water/Psychic Type."

"That's it!" Amber said. "A Water/Psychic Pokemon that glows red. Starmie and Staryu."

Argent thought about it. "Must be a Starmie, if it's powerful enough to control someone."

"Or a group of Staryu." Braedon pointed out.

"Isn't Starmie on our list?" Amber asked.

"Yes." Argent said. "If you read the list, you'd know."

"Don't be a nag, Arge." Braedon said with a cat-like smirk. "So, are we going to catch it?"

"Of course." Argent said. "We need a plan." he looked at Braedon pointedly.

Braedon's grinned widened. "It's my time to shine, bitches!"

Amber rolled her eyes. "Do you have one, or not?" she asked.

"Oh, I have one." Braedon said. "And it's a great one."

"Then tell us," Argent said impatiently. "We have to get back there before Starmie lures someone else to jump in."

Braedon nodded. "Okay, here's what we do..."

* * *

Amber looked around. The only sound was the water crashing down. It was oddly soothing.

Amber leaned against the railing and tried to look nonchalant. She stared at her tiny reflection in the water meters away. It not only reflected her, but also the stars above her.

 _Wait..._

The water couldn't reflect anything. The waterfall disturbed the surface of the water too much for it to reflect anything.

Amber closed her eyes, rubbed them, then opened them.

The water looked more violent than before and the crashing of water was no longer serene.

 _It was an illusion._ Amber thought. _I almost got swept up by it again._

Amber looked back at the water. It was glowing red. That meant Starmie was close to the surface.

Amber turned and looked at Braedon and Argent standing at the top of the cliff.

"Now!" Amber yelled.

Braedon's Kecleon shot it's tongue into the water and yanked out Starmie.

He flung Starmie into the air and towards Amber, who was waiting.

"Swirlix, go!" Amber yelled, throwing a pokeball. "Energy Ball!"

Swirlix appeared and shot a ball of green energy at Starmie, who retaliated with a Water Pulse. The two attacks collided and exploded upon impact.

"Swirl!" Swirlix screamed excitedly.

Starmie created stars around itself and shot them at Swirlix.

"Endure it!" Amber yelled. "That attack is impossible to dodge!"

The stars hit Swirlix, and Swirlix screamed in pain.

"Swirlix!" Amber called. "Are you okay?"

Swirlix jumped into the air. "Swirl!" he cried happily.

Amber grinned. Swirlix was tough, especially for a younger Pokemon. "Nice! Then show Starmie how strong you are! Play Rough!"

Swirlix jumped forward and started to glow pink. He latched on to Starmie with his teeth and held on.

Starmie started to struggle and thrash, trying to shake Swirlix. It used Psychic to throw Swirlix back.

"Swirlix!" Amber yelled. She glared at Starmie.

Starmie's Gem started to glow. Amber immediately felt drowsy.

"No!" Amber shook her head. "I won't let you control me! Energy Ball, Swirlix! Aim for the gem!" Amber yelled.

Swirlix landed yards away and shot a ball of swirling green light at Starmie. It hit Starmie in the center of it's body, right where the gem is.

Starmie cried out in pain.

"Now, finish this! Play Rough!" Amber commanded.

Swirlix rammed into Starmie knocking it back into the railing.

Amber threw a pokeball. It opened and a red beam emerged from it. The beam hit Starmie, and the Pokemon disappeared.

The pokeball rocked once, twice, then made a clicking sound.

Amber picked it up. "Congrats Swirlix! We just caught a Starmie!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Is it a filler chapter if they catch a Pokemon on their list?_**

 ** _Regardless, sorry about such a short chapter._**

 ** _Reader Question Time! Should The Prodigies meet Topher, Dino, and Allison? (If you don't know who they are, they're the Protagonists of my other story, Pokemon Alliance.) Tell me in your review!_**


	39. Chapter 38: A Battle in the Marsh!

They left Couriway Town around noon the next day, after catching a Staryu by the river.

Route 19 was a marsh, to Argent's dismay. Amber couldn't understand why he was complaining. She thought it was fun to trek through the mud in her newly bought rubber boots and play with the Pokemon, most of whom she had never seen before outside of television. This was due to the fact most Pokemon brought to her ranch were either pets or trained for battle; most of these Pokemon were unpopular for both purposes.

None of them besides Goodra, who they were trying to catch.

"Goodra like water, so if we follow this river logic dictates that we should find one." Amber said.

""Logic dictates"? You sound like Argent." Braedon complained.

Argent glared at him. "And why is that a bad thing?"

"It's not, if you want to sound pretentios and aloof." Braedon teased.

Argent rolled his eyes. " _Anyway,_ we should encounter a Goomy or it's evolutions soon."

Braedon nodded. "I just hope we find it soon. I'm sick and tired of this mud and sh-"

Braedon's voice got cut off. Amber looked back to see that he had tripped and fell face first into mud.

Amber and Argent burst into laughter, like true friends, then helped him up.

"Goo!"

The three of them looked down. Braedon had tripped over a Goomy.

"That's convenient." Argent said.

"For who?" Braedon snapped indignantly.

Amber ignored them and reached out to Goomy.

Goomy squealed and disappeared into the ground.

"That wasn't dig." Argent said. "Did it use Dive into mud?"

"Who cares?" Amber said. "Follow it!"

The three of them ran after the bulge in the mud that was speeding away.

"We'll never catch it..." Braedon said angrily. He threw a pokeball. "Sableye, go!"

Sableye appeared and sped toward Goomy as a shadow.

"Shadow Claw!" Braedon yelled.

Sableye clawed at the Goomy, sending it flying into the air.

"Goo!" it yelled as it flew into the air.

"Now, Power Gem!"

Sableye shot a rainbow of gemstones at Goomy, who fell out of the sky.

Braedon threw a pokeball, which intercepted Goomy as it fell.

Goomy disappeared into the pokeball.

Amber ran and caught the pokeball before it fell into the mud. It shook twice in her hand, then clicked.

"Nice job, Braedon and Amber." Argent said. "Now we just need Sliggoo and Goodra."

"Wait." Braedon said. "I have an idea."

"Don't you always?" Argent asked as Braedon grabbed Goomy's pokeball.

"Bring out your pokedex and scan Goomy." he told Amber. She complied.

" _Goomy, The Soft Tissue Pokemon. The weakest Dragon-type Pokémon, it lives in damp, shady places, so its body doesn't dry out. It's covered in a slimy membrane that makes any punches or kicks slide off it harmlessly. This Goomy is Female. Level 10. Moves Known: Bubble, Bide, and Rain Dance. Ability: Gooey."_

Braedon threw Goomy's pokeball. It appeared in a flash of white light.

Goomy automatically dived into the mud and sped off.

"That's your plan?" Argent asked.

"I'm not finished." Braedon said. He grabbed Amber's pokedex. "Pokedex, trace Goomy!"

" _Tracing..."_ The Pokedex said.

"Now we can track Goomy." Braedon said. "It'll hopefully lead us to a Sliggoo or Goodra."

"Well? Let's go!" Argent said.

"One problem... I can't read coordinates."

Argent sighed. "Give it here." he accepted the pokedex from Braedon and led them forward.

After awhile they arrived at a lake. Water Pokemon were playing around the water. A blue Pokemon with two antennas smiled at Amber warmly as it swam past. A green Pokemon with a yellow swirl on it's stomach floated by lazily. A Yanma sat on a lilypad, then flew away one it started to move.

"Look at all these Pokemon!" Amber said. "They're so friendly!"

Braedon nodded and looked around. "But where is Goomy?"

Argent mimicked his actions. "The Pokedex says that it's around here."

"Goomy need water, so it's probably in the lake." Amber said. "Anyone have any water Pokemon?"

"Goo!"

Amber looked up. There was Goomy, standing in front of a Goodra. It looked pissed.

"Uh-oh." Braedon said tauntingly. "I think Goomy tattled on us."

Argent facepalmed. "You're so immature..."

Goodra growled. Despite possessing a silly appearance, it looked downright _murderous_.

Amber pulled out a Pokeball and threw it. "Swirlix, let's do this!"

Braedon and Argent copied her.

"Talonflame!"

"Sableye!"

Goodra launched a beam of green light at them.

"Swirlix, block it!" Amber yelled.

Swirlix jumped in front of the attack, which didn't hurt him at all.

Goodra looked confused and angry.

"Dragon Type moves don't hurt Fairy Types." Argent said. "Nice one, Amber!"

Goodra's eyes glowed green. The water below it rose up and became a giant wave.

"Help her Talonflame! Use Razor Wind!" Argent yelled.

Talonflame screeched and flapped her wings rapidly. The razor sharp wind born of this cut through the wave.

The water fell around them, coming up to Amber's knees.

Goodra's eyes began to glow.

"It's readying an attack! Swirlix, stop it with Play Rough!" Amber yelled.

"No Amber! He's using Bide!" Argent yelled.

But it was too late. Swirlix, who was now glowing pink, jumped forward and tackled Goodra. He began to bite and claw at it.

"Goodra!" it cried. Goodra grabbed Swirlix by the tail and threw him in the air. Goodra then shot a beam of white light at Swirlix. He was soon engulfed in the beam.

Amber ran and dived to catch Swirlix before it hit the ground.

"Goo!" Amber looked up in time to see Goodra readying a beam of green light. It fired at her and Swirlix.

Luckily, she had friends.

"Flame Charge!" Argent yelled. Talonflame zoomed past them and collided-no, _went through_ the blast and rammed into Goodra.

Amber ran to her friends, clutching her unconscious Swirlix. "I'm so sorry." she told them.

Braedon frowned. "Don't be stupid, Amber. We don't blame you."

Amber nodded, though she still felt foolish. Using Bide was such an obvious move, she should have seen it coming.

Back on the battlefield, Sableye and Talonflame were trying to take down Goodra, but both Shadow Ball and Flamethrower were barely doing damage.

"It's Special Defense must be crazy high!" Argent yelled.

Amber returned Swirlix, but she had no idea who to call out next.

 _Think physical Amber._ She told herself. If Special Attacks weren't working, then she needed physical ones.

"Tauros!" she yelled. "Take Down!"

"Taur!" Tauros cried as he appeared on the field. He snorted and charged at Goodra.

"Goo!" Goodra spun around and smacked Tauros with it's tail, knocking it into the sky.

He landed in front of Amber and shook off the goo from his body.

"That was Power Whip!" Braedon said. "It's super powerful. It's just going to beat us back with that if we get close."

Goodra shot another Dragon Pulse at their Pokemon, who had to scrambl to dodge it because they were so close.

Amber gritted her teeth. She had to do something. Physical and Special attacks weren't working...

 _There has to be something!_ Amber thought. _C'mon Amber, think..._

But coming up with plans was Braedon's specialty, not hers.

What was she good at?

 _Pokemon physiology. Moves and abilities. That's what I'm good at._ She realised. _But how will that help? I can't make up a new move on the spot. And I'm not familiar with Goodra as a species._

Wait. Duh. That's why she had a Pokedex.

She gave Tauros a command to keep dodging, then took it out.

 _"Goodra, The Pokemon. This very friendly Pokémon will hug its beloved Trainer, leaving that Trainer covered in sticky slime. This Goodra is female. Level 50. Moves Known: Bide, Surf, Power Whip, and Dragon Pulse. Ability: Gooey."_

Nothing the Pokedex said helped. Goodra sure doesn't _seem_ friendly. It was currently shooting at their Pokemon, making it impossible for them to land a hit. And slime? How would that help her?

Wait. Didn't Goomy's Pokedex entry mention the slime?

 _It's covered in a slimy membrane that makes any punches or kicks slide off it harmlessly._

 _"_ The Slime!" Amber cried. "That's why we can't hit it!"

"Huh?" Braedon said.

Amber pulled out a pokeball. "Vivillon, use Gust Argent, help me!"

Argent threw a pokeball. "Klefki, Fairy Wind! Talonflame, Razor Wind!"

The three pokemon created a gust of wind that surrounded Goodra.

"Now try attacking it!"Amber said. "Flamethrower and Shadow Ball! Aim the Flamethrower at the Shadow Ball!"

"Shadow Ball!" Braedon commanded.

"Flamethrower!" Argent yelled.

The flame hit the ball and propelled it forward. The ball picked up the flames and grew in size until it hit Goodra.

The spot where Goodra was exploded.

When the smoke cleared, Goodra was lying motionless on the ground

* * *

"... Then we caught it!" Amber told her Aunt and Uncle.

The three of them were in the out of the marsh and were camping for the night. Argent was cooking while Braedon bugged him.

"That's my girl!" Aunt Lynn squealed. "Hurry and send over those Pokemon, ya here?"

Uncle Jim whistled. "That Goodra will get along just fine with Florges and Avalugg." he said.

"They're still causing you trouble?" Amber asked.

Uncle Jim nodded. "Don't worry, it ain't nothin' we can't handle. You focus on your job."

Amber smiled and said her goodbyes, then joined her friends around the fire.

"Good talk?" Braedon asked.

Amber grinned. "Yep. But they wouldn't stop gasping during my story. Makes it hard to speak, you know?"

Braedon laughed and clapped her on the back. "Of course they were! It was a fantastic battle!"

"You really did well." Argent said. "Using air based attacks to dry up Goodra's slime, so we could hit it."

Amber hid her face. "It's no big deal... And we won together."

Braedon grinned. "Yep! And to celebrate, we should chow down! Hurry up, Argent!"

Argent sighed. "I told you, dinner will be done when it's done!" he pointed a wooden spoon at Braedon.

Braedon chortled and pulled another, smaller spoon from his bag and pointed it at Argent. "On guard!" he yelled.

As Braedon forced a surprised Argent into an impromptu swordfight, Amber couldn't help bur smile. That night, under the stars and with her best friends, she felt invincible.

* * *

Andreas was so close to being strong enough to kill those Prodigies. He knew it. He just had to whip his Bishops into shape.

"Rock Slide!" he told Gigalith.

An avalanche of boulders rained down on the Pierce's Ice Pokemon.

"Endure it!" Pierce yelled. "You must get stronger!"

Andreas turned to Archeops. "Hurricane!"

Archeops flapped it's wings and created a gargantuan gust of wind, which hit Cedar's entire team of Grass Types.

"Hold on!" Cedar begged her Pokemon.

Only two Pokemon fainted. That was progress.

"Heal them." Andreas told a Repented. The foot soldier hurried to appease his superior.

Soon they would be ready to decimate the Prodigies. Gale would be pleased.

* * *

 ** _A/N: What does Andreas have planned for the Prodigies? Find out next week!_**

 ** _A/N 2: What Pokemon should Argent catch next?_**


	40. Chapter 39: Into the Woods

To say that Argent was ecstatic was like saying the Lumoise sewers smelled a _little_ bad.

"Why are you smiling so wide this early in the morning?" Braedon said irritably. "It's too early and too cold for that." The three of them had arrived in Snowbelle City last night, and due to the mountain nearby, it was freezing.

"I found Zoroark!" he cried happily.

Amber grinned. "You did? Nice job Argent!"

Braedon tilted his head. "What do you mean, you found one? They're super rare!"

Argent nodded. "I was at the store when saw a holo-pamphlet-"

Braedon yawned. "Such an interesting way to start a story."

"Quiet, Neanderthal. Anyway, I downloaded the pamphlet so I could see if there were any places to check out while we were in the city, and it listed the Pokemon indigenous to the area! It included Zoroark!"

"But you haven't found one." Braedon pointed out.

"But I will." Argent replied smugly. "Because there's only one place Zoroark could be." Argent pulled out his holo-map. He opened it and brought up a picture of a forest from the sky.

"Here." he said. "Route 20. That has to be where Zoroark is."

"Why there?" Amber asked, leaning over the map.

"Because that route is special." Argent said. "It's inhabited by Trevenant."

"So?" Braedon asked. He looked at Amber. "Why are Trevenat special?"

Amber cleared her throat. "Trevenant can control trees and other plants. Route 20 is a maze because they're always rearranging the flora, making it impossible to navigate."

"Add in Zoroark's illusion powers, and it's a big mess." Argent said.

"But what about GPS?" Braedon wondered.

Argent shook his head. "Something about the area messes with satellite signals, scrambling them."

"So how will we make it in and out?" Braedon asked.

"I was hoping you would have a plan." Argent said. "As well as a plan to get in, because the place is forbidden to travelers."

Braedon cracked his neck. "Braedon to the rescue once again? Okay. Give me fifteen minutes."

* * *

Getting into the forrest was easy, to Braedon's disappointment. The guard outside the entrance to route 20 was sleeping when they got there.

"My plan would have worked." Braedon grumbled.

Amber patted him on the arm. "We know it would have, Brae."

They entered forest slowly, flashlights pointed forward. Argent kept expecting the trees to move and rearrange themselves, but they looked firm and sturdy.

"They're not moving when I look above." Braedon said after Argent voiced his thoughts. He was looking at the forest on his Holocaster, which was projecting an image from cameras attached to Talonflame and Vivillon. They would help guide Argent and the others out of the forest.

"How is that even working?" Amber wondered. "Aren't you getting the feed from a signal?"

Braedon grinned. "I'm not using electronic signals. I'm using the sound-catcher app on my Pokedex."

"The sound catcher app?" Amber asked.

"It reads sound-wave based moves like Hyper Voice and identifies them." Argent explained. "But how does that help?"

"I asked Vivillon to use Bug Buzz if she sees the trees moving." Braedon explained. "If the trees move, my Pokedex will detect Vivillon's attack so we know to get out if here. That of course means we can't go very far."

Argent frowned. "Then how will we find Zoroark?"

Braedon shrugged.

Amber sighed. "Then that means it's my turn." she pulled her hair back determinedly. "I've encountered one Zoroark before, at the ranch, and I studied them extensively in my Pokemon Physiology class. They like to prank others, they primarily eat berries, they travel in packs, they're territorial, and they are masters of illusion."

"How does that help us?" Braedon asked.

Amber brought out her Pokedex. "You're not the only one who can use this thing. There's an app on here that sees through illusions."

"The Silph Scope." Argent said. "I know that app. It was created by company that rivals my father's company. But it was made to see Kecleon, not Zoroark."

"Then I guess we'll have to wait and see if it works on Zoroark's illusions." Amber said. "In the mean time, we can use the PokeCry app to attract Zoroark."

Braedon snapped his fingers. "You're going to lure them here by making them think there is another pack of Zoroark!"

"Yep." Amber confirmed with a grin.

Argent smiled. His friends were amazing.

The three of them took out their Pokedexes and began playing Zoroark's cry, which echoed in the silent forest. They did that for a few minutes before Braedon, predictably, got bored.

"Ugh, this is taking forever!" he whined. "Why can't they hurry up-"

Suddenly, Braedon's pokedex began to beep, cutting him off.

"That's Vivillon!" Argent said urgently. His heart began to accelerate. "We need to get out of here now!"

The three of them ran in the direction of the forest entrance. Around them, the trees began to get sucked into the ground then erupted in random places. All Argent could do was run and hope that none emerged from under them. Argent was behind Amber and Braedon, but the two of them kept looking back then slowing down for him to catch up.

For that, he was eternally grateful.

Then, the trees stopped. The forest became quiet again.

Argent stopped running just in time to avoid bumping into Braedon, who had stopped along with Amber.

"Why'd you stop?" Braedon asked through short, rapid breaths.

"I have no idea where we are." Amber replied. Unlike Braedon and Argent, her breathe was close to normal. "We're lost."

"How?" Braedon wondered. "We weren't far from the edge of the forest. We should have been able to run straight out of here!"

"Maybe the forest shifted?" Argent guessed.

"Huh?" Amber asked.

"The forest as a whole might have moved over." Argent explained. "So the edge of the forest is now in a different place."

"So we're lost." Braedon concluded.

Argent looked around. From where he was standing, he could see no way out.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Sorry that I haven't updated in a while! School is killing me, seriously. But I promise to try and update at least once a week from now on.**_


	41. Chapter 40: Prodigies vs Illusions!

They decided to use the Sound Catcher app to get close to where Vivillon and Talonflame were, as they were close to the entrance. They met up with Vivillon and Talonflame after about an hour of wandering. Unfortunately, the two were flying in the trees.

"Vivillon!" Vivillon cried, rushing towards Amber. Amber wrapped her in a hug.

"You guys found us!" she cried.

"Talon!" Talonflame squealed proudly.

"It must have been Talonflame's superior senses." Argent deduced. "She can smell, see, and hear from miles away."

Talonflame nodded.

"But now we have a way of getting out!" Braedon exclaimed. "Talonflame can fly us out!"

Argent looked at him. "Do either of you know how to fly on a Pokemon?"

Amber smiled. "I've ridden Pidgeot's back at the ranch. It's easy."

"Of course _you_ think so." Argent said. "But teaching us to ride a Pokemon will take a while, and we don't have a while before the trees rearrange themselves again."

"So what do you suggest we do?" Amber asked.

Braedon snapped his fingers. "We need a new plan! Which means I'm up to bat again. Let's see... Maybe we can-"

Suddenly, they heard a loud cry.

Argent and his friends shared a look, then ran towards the sound of the cry.

They arrived in front of a little black and red Pokemon with blue eyes. It was struggling to stand. Surrounding it was similar Pokemon, except they were standing on two feet and were a lot bigger.

Argent and his friends reacted automatically.

"Razor Wind!"

"Gust!"

"Go, Kecleon! Grab Zoroa!"

Kecleon's tongue shot from his body and grabbed Zoroa, pulling him towards Argent and the others. Right after, Vivillon and Talonflame created a gust of razor sharp winds and blew the pack of Zoroark back. Some of them dug there claws into the ground to keep themselves in place.

"What are you doing?" Amber growled. "Ganging up on Zoroa this way! You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

"Zor!" They all howled.

The howls began to echo, until they surrounded Argent on all sides. Argent looked around frantically.

"Zor! Zor! Zoro!" Emerging from the trees were thousands of Zoroark, each with their fangs bared at Argent and his friends.

Argent took a step back. "They're everywhere..."

"We can't possibly defeat so many." Amber muttered. Her voice cracked.

Argent felt paralyzed with fear. He could felt like he could barely breath yet was breathing heavily. He wanted to close his eyes and curl up in a ball. What was going on? He had never been this scared before, even when the odds were stacked against them (which was often).

Beside him, he heard Amber whimper. Argent looked at both of his friends, and found clench fists and shaking bodies.

What was going on?

The Zoroark were closing in on them slowly, as if they were enjoying watching them squirm.

Talonflame and landed in front of them and squawked lowdly. Vivillon landed on Amber's head. Kecleon clinged to Braedon's leg, still holding a shaking Zoroa.

"Help me..."

Braedon's voice shook Argent out of his stupor. _Braedon._ Argent thought. _He needs me. My friends need me._

Argent grabbed Braedon's hand, then Amber's. "It's okay." he muttered to them. "We'll be okay. Just pretend it's not real."

"Not real..." Braedon muttered. "You're right! It's not!"

"What?" Amber gasped.

"It's not real!" Braedon reached in his pocket and pulled out his Pokedex. "Look around guys! All these Zoroark aren't real."

Argent pulled out his Pokedex and opened the Silph Scope app. He held up the device and looked through the screen. It showed only five Zoroark standing in front of them.

"It's not real!" Argent cried.

"This fear isn't either!" Amber cried. "The Zoroark are manipulating our emotions."

The Zoroark looked confused. They were looking around like they expected them to be cowering.

"We're not scared of you anymore!" Amber cried. "We're taking you down!"

"Braedon, hold them in place! Amber, get ready to cause an explosion!" Argent yelled.

"Mean Look!" Breadon cried.

The Zoroark became frozen in place as Kecleon glared at them with glowing violet eyes.

"Now! Gust and Powder!" Amber yelled.

Vivillon began to flap her wings, hitting the Zoroark pack and the surrounding area with green powder.

"Talonflame, Flamethrower!" Argent cried.

Talonflame opened her beak wide and shot a jet of flames at the Zoroark. The column hit the Zoroark, causing a fiery explosion.

"We did it!" Amber cried.

Argent narrowed his eyes. "No, look guys!"

The smoke was clearing. The Zoroark pack was standing there, surrounded by a barrier.

"What?" Amber wondered. "They know Protect!

"No. Cryogonal does." said a deep voice.

A large man emerged from behind the trees, followed by a Pokemon who resembled a snowflake with a scowl. He wore a blue parka with a red inside and lining, a white shirt, and black sweatpants. He had a white beard that connected to his moustache.

"Who are you?" Amber demanded.

"I recognize him." Argent said, realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. "He's Wulfric. The Gym Leader of Snowbelle City."

"Why'd you protect them?" Braedon demanded. "They were trying to hurt Zoroa!"

"Look again."

Argent looked at the Zoroa Kecleon was holding. But Kecleon wasn't holding a Zoroa. He was holding a log. Kecleon cried out and dropped the log.

"W-what?" Amber sputtered.

Wulfric grinned. "Zoroa was never real."

"You tricked us?" Braedon snapped. " _No one_ tricks Braedon Lovette."

Wulfric let out a loud, jovial laugh. "What spirit! Come with me."

"No." Amber said, crossing her arms. "We want out of this forest, _now._ "

Wulfric's smile widened. "That's where I'm taking you. We're just making a stop first."

"A stop?" Argent asked suspiciously.

Wulfric turned and started walking down a path that hadn't been there before. Cryonogal followed, as did the Zoroark.

"Do we follow him?" Amber asked Argent.

"We can trust him." Argent said. "He's a Gym Leader."

"Then let's go." Braedon said. "I want to get out of here."

"Are you coming?" Wulfric called.

The three of them exchanged looks, then followed him.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but that felt like a good place to stop. See you next week!**_


	42. Chapter 41: The Pokemon Village

They followed Wulfic and what Argent could only assume was his Pokemon down the wide path. Every once in a while Argent glanced at Braedon or Amber, to reassure himself that yes, this was really happening.

"Where are we going?" Argent demanded of Wulfric.

Wulfric just looked back at them with a smile, then faced forward and kept walking.

After about ten minutes of walking, Wulfric stopped.

Argent looked around. The path led to a dead end; a wall of trees.

"Here we are." Wulfric said.

"But... We're at a dead end." Braedon said.

Wulfric let out a hearty, bellowing laugh. "Zoroark, let down the illusion."

The Zoroark's eyes began to glow, and the trees around them began to shimmer.

"What the-"

The trees disappeared, leaving an opening at the end of the path. Wulfric walked through it, followed by Argent and his friends.

"Dear Arceus..." Amber breathed.

The opening led to a the most beautiful valley Argent had ever seen.

The valley was twice the size of a football field, and covered in flowers. Bushes and trees dotted the landscape, each covered in a different variety of fruit. A small lake sat in the center of the valley, glistening and blue.

Pokemon were playing everywhere. A Zoroa and a couple of mushroom-like pokemon were chasing each other. Blue Pokemon with black swirls on their bellies swam in the water alongside lilypads that seemed to move on their own. A gargantuan Pokemon Argent recognized as Garbodor tended to a flower garden. A flock of brown Flying Pokemon flew by, ones Argent was sure were nocturnal. A black and white Pokemon slept by a tree, soothed by the song of a floating pink Pokemon.

"Beautiful." Argent said breathlessly.

"Hello my lovelies!" boomed Wulfric, breaking the spell rather abruptly. "I'm here! And I brought guests!"

The Pokemon stopped what they were doing and swarmed around Wulfric.

"Poli! Poli!" Cried the pokemon with the swirls.

"Lotad!" called the lilypad, which rose from the water with a Pokemon attached to it.

"Gothita!"

"Jiggly!"

"Foo!"

"Odor!"

"Owl, owl!"

Wulfric gave his booming laugh again. "Hello my friends! I'd like you to meet the first trainers to make it here in seven years! Amber, Argent, and Braedon."

The Pokemon all chorused a hello.

"How do you know who we are?" Argent demanded.

Wulfric grinned. "I've been following you for the padt few hours, with the aid of Zoroark and their illusions."

"Why?" Argent asked. "What is this place?"

"This valley has no name," Wulfric bellowed. "But my family has come to refer to it as 'The Pokemon Village.'"

"'The Pokemon Village?'" Amber wondered.

"Yes. The Pokemon Village is a haven for abused Pokemon. It is home to thousands of species of Pokemon."

Braedon frowned. "So this village is hidden by the crazy forest then!"

Wulfric nodded. "Clever boy. Yes, the maze of a forest combined with Zoroark's illusions and the land's odd effect on technology make this village nearly impossible to get to, unless the Zoroark lead you here as they did for us."

"But why did they decide to allow us to visit?" Argent asked.

"The Zoroark decide to test trainers who wander into the forest, as they did for me seven years ago. They pulled the same trick with the Zoroa on me, to test my compassion, courage, and power. To test if I was worthy."

"What happens if you're not worthy?" Amber asked.

"You get knocked out and left back at the forest entrance." Wulfric answered. "Not that that happens much, now that the authorities locked away the forest from the general public."

Argent scowled. "Okay. This is a lot to take in. So you're saying that this village is hidden by illusions and a rearranging forest and only those who pass a series of tests can enter? And that we passed those tests?"

"Exactly." Wulfric said.

Argent sighed. "This is crazy."

"We've been through crazier." Amber pointed out while petting a Gothorita.

"So what now?" Braedon asked.

"You have fun." Wulfric answered.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Braedon said. He pulled out his pokeballs. "You guys need to see this place too! Come on out guys!" He threw the pokeballs in the air.

Amber and Argent copied him.

Their Pokemon appeared in front of them, and were soon surrounded by the Village Pokemon. They looked surprised and confused, but took their newfound popularity in stride. The village Pokemon seemed intrigued by and excited to meet Argent and his friends' Pokemon.

"They're really getting along well." Amber said.

"The village Pokemon love visitors." Wulfric explained. "They rarely see Pokemon outside of the Pokemon Village."

"Why?" Argent asked. "Do they never leave?"

"Most of them prefer not to." Wulfric said. "These Pokemon are the victims of abuse and human cruelty."

"But they're so warm and friendly." Braedon said. "I studied Pokemon Psychology in school, and Pokemon who are victums of abuse typically avoid humans and even other Pokemon."

"Yes, but I've been helping them get over their fears." Wulfric said. "All of these Pokemon come from the same place, and were introduced to this area by me a few years ago to help them heal."

"From where?" Amber asked.

Argent noticed Wulfric tense up. Despite this, he still stared at the Pokemon. "That's one of the reasons I chose to let you three take the test."

"What?" Argent asked.

"I overheard you talking about this forest at the Pokemon Center." Wulfric said. "So I asked Nurse Joy who you were, and did a little research. You three have had many run ins with a group called the Hallowed Church?"

"How did you-" Argent started, but Braedon interrupted him with a snort.

"You read about us on a blog, didn't you?" Braedon said.

"Um, no? I'm not much of an internet person." Wulfric said. "But I did contact Professor Sycamore, and he told me of your exploits. So I 'persuaded' the guard outside the forest to pretend to be asleep so you three can get in."

"Why? What does that have to do with us?" Argent asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Braedon said. "These Pokemon were involved with The Hallowed Church. That's why you brought us."

Wulfric nodded. "Exactly."

"But why do you need us?" Amber asked. "How can we help?"

Wulfric clenched his fists. "I brought these Pokemon here after they were found being abused by the church. Before that, only the Trevenant and Zoroark lived here. I've taken care of these Pokemon for years until they were ready to face people again. But I can't send them out into the real world until I know that those vile people aren't around."

Argent remembered what Professor Sycamore had said about the Church. _They have a reputation. They leave no survivors._

"But the Church has no way of knowing who these Pokemon are." Amber said.

"I know, and yet... I can't find it in me to be rational. I don't want them to be hurt."

Argent looked at his Pokemon. Honedge was carrying around a small Pokemon on his back. Klefki was shyly staring at the precedings, to nervous to approach the unfamiliar Pokemon. Talonflame was racing a Noctowl in the sky.

"I understand." Argent said. "You care about them. You can't chance them getting hurt, even if the chance is slim."

"So what do you want from us?" Braedon said. "How can we help?"

Wulfric opened his eyes and appeared to Argent to be staring beyond what Argent could see.

"I want you to defeat The Hallowed Church."

* * *

They left at nightfall, down a path that led to Kiloude City. The trees parted for them to create a walkway, and did not move anymore.

Braedon held the pokeball containing a Zoroark. They had caught a Zoroark, Zoroa, Phantrump, and Trevenant before they left. "You don't think Wulfric is serious, do you?" he asked.

Amber bit her lip. "He's right that we're going to run into the Hallowed Church again. But we can't beat them."

"Bur neither can he." Argent said. "Those Pokemon need him. He's using us as proxies to beat the Church. He's apart of the League association, which works in tandem with the International Police. He knows that the higher ups aren't going to do anything about the Hallowed Church until it's too late. So he is using us to expose the Church."

"How so?" Amber asked.

"Think about it this way." Argent said. "We already beat several members of Church, all who are in prison. If we beat enough of them, eventually we'll expose the Church enough that the International Police will have to intervene. That's what Wulfric wants."

"But that brings us back to the problem." Braedon said. "We're not strong enough to beat the Church."

"But we have to try." Amber said. "We can't let them hurt anyone else."

"Then we need to train." Argent said. "Even more than we already do."

"And we need more Pokemon." Amber said. "More strategies and combinations."

Braedon smiled. "Then it's a good thing we're headed to Kiloude City, the trainer capital of the Kalos."

Argent nodded. He looked forward and saw that the path had ended. Here they were, at the start of the next phase in their adventure.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Reader Question Time! So we have two choices. I can make chapter 13 of my story Pokemon Alliance take place at the same time at the same time as this chapter, thus putting the main characters of both stories in one pkace at once for a crossover. Or I could do as originally planned and make chapter 1 of one story correspond to chapter 1 of the other, and so on and so forth. What do you, the readers, think? Should the two stories crossover, or is it too soon?_**


	43. Chapter 42: Fighter, Mage, Rouge!

Kiloude City: Full of lush trees and next to the ocean, it was a popular spot for competing trainers. Which made sense, considering it housed the Friend Safari, a spot full of Pokemon from around the world.

Separated into eighteen sections, each corresponding to a Pokemon type, it was especially popular with Type specialists like Argent and Braedon.

Personally, Braedon didn't like the city that much. It was too quiet for his tastes. He was used to the hustle and bustle of Cyprus City, which was always busy and full of impatient people to match. But Kiloude was only open to trainers level five and up, which meant their were less people (Braedon, Amber, and Argent only were allowed in because they were apart of the Prodigy Program).

Argent told them most of this as they walked through the city.

"So, we're going to the Friend Safari?" Amber asked them.

Argent nodded vigorously. "The safari has three Pokemon on our list that can't be caught anywhere else."

That piqued Braedon's interest. "Which species?" he asked.

"Froakie, Chespin, and Fennekin." Argent answered. "The Kalos Starters."

Braedon grinned. "This will be interesting. Pokemon in the Friend Safari will be strong. It'll be hard to catch them."

"We can do it." Amber said assuredly. "We're the Prodigies. They're isn't a Pokemon out there we can't catch."

Braedon grinned. Amber may be shy, but it could never be said that she wasn't confident. Her passion was infectious, seeping through Braedon's blood stream like a cold (If that's how colds work. To be honest, Braedon had no idea).

"Then let's do it!" he cried.

They had arrived at the entrance to the safari. Argent led the way inside.

They paid a fee of 6000 poke per person (thank Arceus that Braedon and Argent were rich), then got in the back of a truck that took them down a dirt path to the Safari area.

"This place is really warm." Amber said. "Feels like home."

Braedon considered taking off his scarf, but then decided against it. The scarf completed his outfit.

Argent peeled off his sweater, pulling his shirt up as he did and exposing skin.

"Why are you staring at me?" Argent asked him.

Braedon would have blushed if his skin tone allowed it. "You're wearing a t-shirt. I've never seen you in one before. It's weird."

Argent rolled his eyes. "Well, excuse me for not dressing the way you expect me to, Argent."

Braedon just nodded dumbly and turned away. Why was he so flustered? This wasn't like him.

Amber, meanwhile, hadn't seem to notice their side conversation, thankfully. She was busy looking out into the distance.

"Am? You okay?" Braedon asked.

Then Amber suddenly tackled her friends down. Half a second later, a beam of light zipped over Braedon's head.

"That was a Psybeam!" Argent gasped.

But Amber had already got up and thrown a pokeball. "Vivillon! Aerial Ace! Find the Hidden Pokemon!"

Vivillon appeared and Braedon remembered that Aerial Ace allowed a Pokemon to find it's target no matter what.

Vivillon shot forward and darted behind a rock. Less than amoment later an orange Zoroark like Pokemon wearing what appeared to be a red dress went flying.

"That's Delphox!" Amber yelled. "Vivillon, Struggle Launcher!"

Vivillon shot a giant tendril of green energy at Delphox, causing an explosion.

But when the dust cleared, Delphox was still standing. And in front of it was a white Pokemon with a prominent domed, armor-like shell with two spikes. It's hands had morphed into a shield covered in giant spikes.

"That's Chesnaught!" Argent yelled.

"It's shield withstood Vivillon's Struggle Launcher!" Amber exclaimed.

"Honedge will slash apart that shield!" Argent yelled. He reached for a pokeball, then gasped. "My pokeball belt is gone!"

Braedon reached for his belt and found it gone too. He heard a snicker and turned around.

"Greninja!" The blue Pokemon cried.

"That Greninja stole our belts!" Argent exclaimed.

"Oh no? Whatever will we do?" Braedon said in mock panic. "Not!" He pulled out his Pokedex and pressed a button. One of the pokeballs opened and Pancham appeared. The sudden action caused Greninja to fall back in surprise. Pancham snatched the belts away and ran back to Braedon. Pancham handed the belts back to their owners.

"How did you-" Argent asked.

Braedon smirked. "I'm a theif myself. You think I wouldn't have a back up plan if my pokeballs ever got stolen?"

Argent pulled out a Pokeball. "Talonflame, I choose you!"

Talonflame appeared in front of Argent.

All of them stood still, each waiting for the other party to make the first move.

"Let's make it even more interesting." Amber said quietly, where only her friends could hear.

To Braedon's surprise, Argent smiled. Maybe they were rubbing off on him. "What do you propose?"

"We have a competition." Amber said. "First to catch their opponent wins. Last one to catch their opponent does the other two's laundry for a _month_."

"You're evil." Braedon said. "I like that."

"Challenge accepted." Argent muttered. "We attack in three... Two... Now!"

"Mega Struggle Bug!"

"Brave Bird!"

"Power-Up Punch!"

* * *

Amber grinned as thousands of tiny tendrils shot at Delphox. But Delphox waved it's wand and shot a jet of pink flames in a spiral pattern that met Vivillon's tendrils head on. The collision resulted in another explosion, the force of which nearly knocked Amber over. Delphox waved it's wand again and more pink flames materialized and shot at Vivillon.

"Try Gust! Blow it away!" Amber cried.

But the fire moved through the gusts like they weren't there and knocked Vivillon out of the sky.

"Viv..." she muttered.

"Return!" Amber said, returning Vivillon. She threw another pokeball. "Tauros go! Take Down!"

"Tauros!" Tauros yelled. He charged at Delphox, but was thrown back by seemingly nothing.

 _Damn. It knows Psychic._ Amber thought. _But how powerful must it be to stop a charging Tauros in it's tracks?_

"Tauros! Amber yelled. "Use Take Down again! Full power!"

Tauros snorted and charged again. Delphox waved it's wand and tauros stopped mid-charge. Tauros stood it's ground as the invisible force pushed it back.

"Hang on Tauros!" Amber yelled.

But Tauros flew at Amber. Amber pulled out Tauros's pokeball and pressed the button, causing him to disappear into it right before he would have collided with her.

"Go!" Amber yelled. She threw a pokeball. "Tyrunt! Dragon Pulse!"

Tyrunt appeared and shot a pulse of green energy at Delphox. Delphow waved it's wand and the attack exploded in a burst of flames.

 _Crap._ Amber thought. _I can't use close range attavks do to Psychic. And long distance attacks are out because it will just blow up the attack. What can I do?_

Amber gritted her teeth. She was not doing the laundry of two teenage boys for a week. She refused.

"Tyrunt, keep trying! Buy me time!" Amber commanded desperately. Tyrunt launched another Dragon Pulse at Delphox, who blocked it with an explosion of pink flames.

As Tyrunt readied another attack, Amber tried to think of a solution. How do you beat a Pokemon who could block all attacks?

 _Just do what you did with Goodra. Analyze what you know about Delphox._

 _Okay. Delphox specializes in the move Mystical Fire, which produces flames made of psychic energy. That's why the pink flanes didn't get affected by the wind. And Delphox primarily uses it's wand to do all attacks. Wait, the wand! If I get it, Delphox is powerless. But how do I get the wand? What Pokemon can get close? Swirlix, Tauros, Tyrunt, Vivillon... None of them can... She'll see them coming. Wait! That's it!_

"Go, Vivillon! Aerial Ace!" Amber yelled, throwing a pokeball.

Vivillon flew forward and Delphox waved it's wand. Vivillon stopped in midair.

"Vivillon!" Amber yelled. "Flash!"

Amber shielded her eyes right as Vivillon became wrapped in blinding light.

As soon as the light dissappeared, Amber uncovered her eyes. She saw that Delphox was on the ground, holding it's eyes. _A Flash that close to it's eyes had to have blinded it._ Amber thought.

Meanwhile, Vivillon was now free from Delphox's Psychic grasp. However, it was also falling from the sky.

"Return!" Amber yelled, returning Vivillon to her pokeball.

Amber looked at Tyrunt. "You ready?" she asked him.

Tyrunt barred his fangs in a determined grin.

"Then let's finish this!" Amber said. "Dragon Pulse!"

Tyrunt opened his jaw and shot a beam of green energy straight at Delphox. It flew backwards in a graceless arc.

Amber threw a pokeball. It opened and hit Delphox with a red beam of light. It disappeared into the ball. The ball shook twice, then clicked.

Amber walked over to the ball and picked it up. She scanned it with her pokedex:

 _"Delphox, The Flame Pokemon. Using psychic power, it generates a fiery vortex of 5,400 degree Fahrenheit, incinerating foes swept into this whirl of flame. It gazes into the flame at the tip of its branch to achieve a focused state."_ The pokedex said. _"This Delphox is Female. Level 47. Moves Known: Mystical Fire, Psychic, Calm Mind, and Future Sight. Ability: Blaze."_

 _And I didn't even have to steal her wand._ Amber thought. She looked around. Argent and Braedon were still fighting their opponents.

Amber grinned at Tyrunt. "We won! We don't have to do laundry for a week!"

As Talonflame shot foward toward Chesnaught, her body became wrapped in flames.

Chesnaught held out it's hands, and it became surrounde by a shield of energy that had giant spikes protruding from it.

Talonflame crashed into the barrier and cried out in pain, before falling to the ground.

"Return!" Argent yelled. He put Talonflame back into his Pokeball and called out Honedge.

"Hone!" Honedge cried.

"Shadow Ball!" Argent yelled.

Honedge shot a ball of black energy at the shield. It exploded. When the dust cleared, the shield was still standing.

"So that shield repels Physical and Special Attacks." Argent muttered. "There has to be a way around it... Return, Honedge! Go, Klefki! Metal Sound!"

Argent returned Honedge and threw Klefki's pokeball. Klefki appeared in a flash of light and began to vibrate like a pulled rubber band. Argent's ears started to hurt slightly.

But Chesnaught did not seem to be hurt at all. He grinned at Argent.

Suddenly, the ground erupted with spikes that moved towards Argent in a wave through the ground.

Argent started to run, but Klefki grabbed him and lifted him into the air right as spikes erupted where Argent had stood.

"Klefki!" Argent gasped. "You saved me! Thank you!"

Klefki flew higher. "Klef..." he grunted.

Argent panicked. How long could Klefki hold him like this?

Argent looked around for a place to land, and nearly gasped. The spikes were huge, and had torn apart Argent's section of the battlefield.

"Just how strong is it?" Argent wondered aloud.

Suddenly, Chesnaught roared and the spikes shot out of the ground toward Argent and Kleki.

"Klefki! Crafty Shield!" Argent yelled.

A pink forcefield surrounded them, and the spikes collided and crumbled as they hit the shield.

"It seems we're at an impasse." Argent said (He had always wanted to say that). "Crafty Shield blocks moves that would normally bypass Protect, like your Spikes attack." Argent explained. "And you can't use other attacks unless you lower your shield. So neither of us can attack."

Argent smiled. He had out smarted it, and they both knew it.

Chesnaught lowered his shield. Argent motioned for Kleki to set him down in the rubble.

"Honedge! " Argent yelled, thriwing a pokeball. Aerial Ace!"

Honedge surged forward, out of his pokeball and toward Chesnaught. Chesnaught caught the balde with his hands and skidded backward.

"Now!" Argent yelled. "Retaliate!"

Honedge started to glow a with brick red aura. He broke free of Chesnaught's grasp and Chesnaught took a step back. Honedge then slashed at Chesnaught and knocked him over. The attack was twice as strong as normal, because it was powered by fallen allies.

Chesnaught clutched his chest and stared at Argent. It collapsed with a smile.

Argent walked over to the fainted Pokemon. He scanned it with his Pokedex.

" _Chesnaught, the Spiny Armor Pokemon._ _It is forceful enough to flip a 50-ton tank. It shields its allies from danger with its own body. When it takes a defensive posture with its fists guarding its face, it could withstand a bomb blast. This Chesnaught is Female. Level 49. Moves Known: Spiky Shield, Spikes, Wood Hammer, and Hammer Arm. Ability: Overgrow."_

Argent pressed the ball on a pokeball. The ball shot a red beam at Chesnaught, who disappeared.

The ball rocked twice in his hand, then clicked.

Argent smiled. "I won." he said simply.

Pancham jumped forward and swung his glowing fist at Greninja. But Greninja disappeared right as Pancham swung, then appeared behind him and wrapped his tongue around Pancham, before slamming him into the ground repeatedly.

"Pancham, Parting Shot!" Braedon yelled. Pancham disappeared in a flash of red light that shot towards Braedon's pokeball.

A second later, Kecleon appeared. A second after that, Greninja appeared in front of him and kicked him into the sky.

Klefki spit out his tongue and caught a tree branch with his tongue, then swung forward and slammed into Greninja- or the place that it had been standing a second ago. Greninja was gone, and Kecleon collided with the ground.

Braedon gritted his teeth. "Klefki, are you okay?

Kecleon didn't move, so Braedon returned him. And threw Sableye's pokeball.

As soon as Sableye appeared, Greninja did too. He punched Sableye into the ground.

"Shadow Sneak!" Sableye turned into a shadow and slithered toward Greninja.

But Greninja was gone.

 _It's so fast it's almost like a blur..._ Braedon thought. _And it's attacks are so powerful... How?_

Braedon then realized that Greninja was still gone.

 _It's waiting for Shadow Sneak to wear off._

"Sableye, Dig!" Braedon yelled. Sableye disappeared into the ground.

Greninja was still no where to be found. _Where was it hiding?_

As if on cue, Greninja appeared and shot a ball of swirling water into the hole.

A second later, the ground exploded and Sableye flew into the air. Greninja appeared and knocked Sableye out of the air and toward the ground.

Sableye flipped in mid air and landed on his feet, then dug himself into the ground.

Greninja shot another ball of water into the hole, but a jagged beam of black light erupted from the hole and met the ball head-on, causing an explosion.

"Sableye, attack!" Braedon yelled.

Sableye appeared out of the smoke and slashed at Greninja, who dodged it and appeared behind Sableye in time to knock him into the ground.

But Sableye disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Gren?" Greninja cried as Sable erupted from the ground as a shadow and wrapped his body around Greninja.

Greninja fell to the ground and pulled at Sableye, who's shadowy body was tightening around Greninja.

Braedon grinned. "That Sableye you've been fighting was a Substitute. 'Attack' is our code word for Substitute, which we use so the opponent won't know what we're doing." Braedon explained calmly as Greninja struggled. "I'm not sure if this is irony or not... You use your tongue wrap people up, and I've got you wrapped up. You move so fast you almost disappear, and the Sableye Substitute disappeared when you attacked it. You use unusual tactics like your Protean ability- yes, I figured that out too- and I used one to defeat you."

Greninja struggled more.

"Knock him out, Sableye." Braedon said. "Power Gem."

The sand around them hardened and became gemstones that pelted Greninja and Sableye.

Greninja stopped struggling, and Sableye slithered off of him.

Braedon grinned and pressed the button on a pokeball. Greninja disappeared into it. The ball shook once, twice, then clicked.

Braedon looked around. Argent was picking up a pokeball off the ground and Amber was already holding one.

"No way..." Braedon muttered.

They had caught them at the same time.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So, let me explain the chapter title. It comes from the trope of a similar name, which is what the protagonists and who they fought in this chapter represent. Try to guess who is what archetype._**


	44. Chapter 43: Change

Amber had really missed Sandalwood Town. The fresh, open air, the blue skies, and the judgemental small-town hicks who spread rumors faster than diseases.

Not even an hour after Amber got off of the train at Sandalwood station had she gotten a call from her auntie demanding why she had brought _two_ new boyfriends home.

"Who was that?" Argent asked after she had calmed her aunt down.

Amber sighed. "It was no one. Let's just go."

"Was it your aunt or uncle?" Braedon asked.

Amber nodded. "Yep. It sure is good to be home."

Braedon laughed. "When did you become sarcastic?" he wondered.

"It's your fault." Argent said with a teasing glare at Braedon. "You're a bad influence."

Amber smiled, her anger and nerves dissipating. She could count on her friends to make her feel better.

It was Braedon's idea to visit Sandalwood Town, after Argent had brought up where they should go next now that they were done with Kiloude City. Argent was intrigued by the novelty of a Pokemon Ranch, and Braedon was eager to see Amber's family again (i.e. eager to annoy them more). Amber was nervous at seeing her family again. All the attention would be on her. They'd want stories, which Amber couldn't give, because they would surely keep her home if they knew how much danger she had been in the past few months. It was hard enough fending them off during her daily phone call home.

Amber led them through the town, stopping occasionally to say hi to someone or introduce her friends to them. After what felt like another hour, they arrived at the entrance to Dupont Ranch.

"Amber!" Jeremy ran up to her and enveloped her in a tight hug. She hugged him back warmly.

"Sweetie!" Suddenly, two more sets of arms wrapped around them.

"Jeremy! Auntie! Uncle!" Amber cried. Despite her reservations anout going home, she had missed them.

She pulled back quickly, afraid that the hug would get awkward if she let it last too long.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Uncle Jim exclaimed.

"We wanted to surprise you." Amber explained.

"You hate surprises." Aunt Lynn explained.

Did she? Amber might have hated them before, but she had gotten used to surprises since she had started her journey. After all, every moment since she left home had seemed to be a surprise.

But instead of explaining that, she just smiled. "Anyway, let me introduce you to my new friend." she pulled Argent, who had been hanging back, toward them. "You've met Braedon, but this is Argent."

Argent stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Dupont. My name is Argent Lancaster."

Uncle Jim shook it enthusiastically. "Such a polite boy! Should be a good influence on our daughter."

Amber frowned at the implied jab at Braedon. Argent caught it too, and he stiffened.

"We learn things from each other everyday." Argent replied coolly. "Amber is a very talented trainer."

"Darn right she is." Aunt Lynn said. "Our Amber knows more about Pokemon than anything else."

Amber blushed at the praise. "I'm alright."

"Nah," Braedon said, carelessly throwing an arm around Amber. "You're incredible."

Amber smiled up at him, then at Argent, who nodded. She felt her cheeks heat up more.

Aunt Lynn's eyes narrowed in anger and confusion. Amber pulled herself away from Braedon.

"So, tell me about yourself, Argent." Aunt Lynn said, as if nothing happened. Amber felt a twinge of annoyance.

As Argent spoke, Amber allowed herself to scan the area. She wanted to see how much the ranch had changed. For some reason, it felt off. But Amber couldn't pinpoint what was different, and everything seemed the same. The barn still needed to be repainted. The Tauros and Miltank were grazing in an almost placid fashion. By the bran, the Water Type Pokémon bathed in sunlight and in the lake. Not a hair out of place.

It was calm. And that unsettled Amber.

* * *

They stayed for dinner, and while Uncle Jim cooked dinner and Jeremy and Aunt Lynn did chores, Amber showed Argent around the ranch. He seemed interested in every little detail, from how they bathed the larger Pokémon to what procedures they used when a Pokémon was sick. He was certainly more interested in it than Amber, who felt uncomfortable and out of place. But she did enjoy helping Braedon tease Argent on how excited he was, and watching Argent's eyes light up when he encountered something unfamiliar.

By the time they made it back to the house it was almost around six, and the sun was setting.

"Amber, you okay?" Braedon asked as they approached the ranch house.

Amber shrugged.

"You have been rather quiet." Argent supplemented.

"If something is bothering you, you can tell us." Braedon said seriously.

Of course they noticed. They were to smart not to.

"I don't know exactly..." Amber replied in a low voice. "I just feel weird. Like I'm bored, like something is missing. But everything is the same. "

"Maybe that's the point." Braedon suggested.

"What?" Amber asked.

"It's all the same." Braedon explained. "You grew up with this place. But over the past few months, you've been experiencing new things on a daily basis. You like traveling, you like adventure. You've changed so much since we've left, and the ranch has stayed the same. So you feel like you don't belong."

Amber looked at him. "But this is my home. I should feel like I belong."

"You just have to get acclimated to it again." Argent said. "That takes time."

"That makes sense." Amber said. "I guess I've changed a lot."

"We all have. " Argent said. "But wouldn't you say it's for the better?"

Amber thought about it. She thought about when she first decided to ride Tauros after Rotom. That snap decision was nothing like her personality- but it created who she was now. Being brave that one time was a chain reaction. The girl before that decision could never have stood up to the Hallowed Church or saved Sapphire or caught all the Pokémon she had.

Amber wondered why she made that decision. Because she had too?

No. Because she wanted to. She had never been exposed to a choice like that, so she never knew what it was like to have the option. Her life on the farm was safe and full of the familiar. But her life now was exciting and fun.

"Yeah. " Amber said. "I would."

* * *

 ** _A/N: Sorry about the hiatus and the short filler chapter. I've been so busy with senior year, plus I've had writer's block. The worst kind of writer's block, considering that I knew exactly what to write but not how to write it._**

 ** _Reader Question Time! Who should catch a Pokémon next?_**


	45. Chapter 44: Blasphemy

After saying their goodbyes to Amber's family, they took the train back to Kiloude, then took a train from there to Ambrette Town.

Ambrette was a small, rugged town, but that didn't mean it wasn't charming. It rested of a seaside cliff, so the sparkling ocean was visible at all times. The high elevation and rocky exterior made trekking across the town seem like an adventure akin to climbing a mountain.

But, as usual, Argent and his friends weren't there to sightsee.

"The Heliopitile and it's evolution, Heliosk, are native to Route 9." Argent said to his friends as they walked through town. "And several Pokémon we need are on Route 8. Our options are splitting up, or going down each Route one at a time."

Argent had his eyes on his Pokedex, quickly reading the entries for the Pokémon they were to catch, so he didn't notice Amber and Braedon stop. But when neither of them responded, he looked up and realized that they were no longer next to him.

"Argent... " Braedon said slowly. Argent could here panic in his voice. Argent's hand flew to his belt, grabbing a pokeball as he ran to his friends.

Both were standing and staring at a building. Argent looked at the building and saw a large crowd surrounding it. Only when Argent realized what building it was did he gasp.

The Pokémon Center was fenced off by Police tape, and several Pokémon were being carried away on stretchers. Argent stood on his toes to see one, then gagged. _That Dedenne's tail... Where was it's tail?_

"W-what happened here?" Argent gasped.

Amber had her hands covering her mouth and her eyes were watering. "I don't know..." she muttered. Argent had to strain to hear her over the buzz of the crowd. "What could have-? "

Suddenly, Braedon grabbed Argent and Amber's wrists. "We have to go. Now! "

"Braedon what-?"

"Just trust me! " Braedon replied.  
And Argent did. The three of them ran until Braedon stopped abruptly and let them go.

"Braedon what's wrong?" Amber asked.

"All the injured Pokémon," Braedon replied. "They were... Mutilated."

"We saw. " Argent said. "But why did we have to get away?"

Braedon looked him in the eye. Argent remembered that look. Last time he saw it...

"The Pokémon were all mutilated, and I only saw certain Pokémon hurt." Braedon said. "Certain _Types_ of Pokémon."

Argent caught on immediately. He felt the air leave his chest. "They're here." he muttered.

"It's our fault." Amber whispered. "They must have followed us here."

"That doesn't make sense. " Argent said. "If they had, we would have been attacked by now. And I doubt they would just announce that they were here if they were trying to catch us."

"That means we have to leave before they realize we're here." Braedon said.

"We could take a train back to Kiloude. " Argent suggested. "That city is extremely hard to get into. We'll be safe there."

Amber and Braedon nodded, and Argent felt a little less panicked now that they had some semblance of a plan.

* * *

"We had a plan! " Andreas yelled, bringing his fist down on the table.

The Repented flinched. "I-I told t-them." The lackey stuttered. "They d-didn't listen to me. T-they threatened me. I couldn't s-stop them!"

Andreas rubbed his temple. He shouldn't have expected this foot soldier to be able to handle Cedar or Pierce. Nor should he have expected them to resist causing a seen after being cooped up for so long. And he couldn't blame them for what they did. Cedar and Pierce just wanted to spread their love for Alleos.

"You are dismissed." Andreas told him. He looked even more terrified, but he didn't protest.

Andreas looked out the window. The hotel they were staying at overlooked the entire town. It was truly a magnificent place.

He wanted to destroy it more than he wanted to serve Alleos.

That was what Gale would call blasphemy. Lately, Andreas had been plagued by blasphemous thoughts more and more often. He wasn't supposed to want anything more than his desire to please Alleos. All his fervor should be directed toward Purifying trainers, and nothing else. But he couldn't help but want something more.

What he wanted now was destruction. He could see it now- the town was easy prey for him, being on a seaside cliff. He could see the ledges sinking into the ground, the citizens screaming and trying to get away from something happening all around them. That would take care of his targets, and it was well within Andreas's power. It would be beautiful.

But he was a member of The Church. As much as he would like to bring the town crumbling, it was against the Church doctrine to hurt Pure Trainers, and if there was even a chance they could be collateral, Andreas was not allowed to do anything. Not to mention that Gale wanted the Pokedexes.

So Andreas would have to leave the town in one piece. But nothing required him to treat the Prodigies with the same care.

Andreas just hoped they would properly sate him. That is, if they can prove themselves worthy of fighting him.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Sorry about how short the chapter is. I have been sick, so I don't feel like writing._**


	46. Chapter 45: Vines and Glaciers

Argent felt that running for his life was getting rather old. Not that it didn't scare him anymore, but the experience had definitely lost some of it's novelty.

Argent ran behind Braedon and Amber, struggling to keep up. Every time he started to fall behind he remembered the panic he felt when he woke up after the fight with Rios and Scarlet, not knowing if Amber and Braedon were okay. A little masochistic, but it spurned him forward. There was no way he would let them threaten his friends that way again. He couldn't bare it.

But the universe could care less what he could bare.

Argent started to slow down. He remembered how he grabbed Braedon as the water rushed in, and how scared he was to no longer be holding him when he woke. That kept him going

They were almost to the train station, pushing through people and Pokemon to get there. They were almost to safety-

Then Argent tripped.

He caught himself with his hands, scraping them as he landed. Amber and Braedon kept running, unaware that he was down. He tried to call them, but luck wasn't on Argent's side. The train was moving, drowning out his voice.

Argent went to get up, but his legs wouldn't obey. He turned over and looked down. A gasp escaped his lips as he saw a vine wrapped around his legs, holding them together.

Argent reached for Honedge's pokeball, but the vine moved up his body and pinned his arms to his side.

"Help!" Argent yelled.

People stopped and began to move toward Argent. But before Argent could begin to hope, a gust of wind blew them back. They scattered to their feet and ran.

"This is just between us."

Argent looked up. Standing down the now empty street was a nearly identical set of adults. The only thing separating them was that one wore a green poncho and lighter green pants, while the other wore blue and icy blue. The both had sharp hair that ended in a curve above their chins, and beady brown eyes. Their skin was fair and dotted with freckles.

To the green one's side was a giant mass of vines- Tangrowth- and to the blue one's side was a big brown furry Pokemon with a blue and white face and long tusks- Mamoswine.

Behind the twins were five people in white robes that obscured their faces.

"Go stall the police." The blue one said in a voice like wind chimes. "Block all paths to this street."

"Yes, Bishop Pierce." The underlings- they were called Repented, Argent remembered as he squirmed- said in unison. They ran in separate directions.

Argent squirmed as the two walked towards him.

"We got it." The green one said in a voice like bells.

"He." Pierce corrected, turning to Argent. "Sorry. Cedar isn't very good at interacting with other humans."

Cedar grinned. "Especially not pretty ones like you." she said happily.

Argent struggled more.

"That'll just make 'em tighter." Pierce said. Argent felt the vines tightening, so he stopped struggling.

"Let me go." Argent snarled.

"Sure," Cedar promised, "We just need your pokedex."

"Fine!" Argent said. "Take it!"

"Wait." Pierce said. "We also need him."

"What?" Argent asked.

"We're under orders to bring both you _and_ the Pokedexes." Pierce explained. "The Head Priest has taken a special interest in you and your friends."

"I believe her exact words were 'Those brats need to be killed.'" Cedar said in a faux-helpful voice.

Argent couldn't help but squirm, then gasped as the vines tightened around him. They seemed to be squeezing the air out of his lungs, and he struggled to breathe-

"Get the hell away from him!"

Argent looked up in time to see Sableye and Tauros rush at Tangrowth and Mamoswine. Sableye became a shadow and wrapped around Tangrowth, while Tauros rammed into Mamoswine, locking horns with his tusks.

Braedon appeared beside him.

"Braedon!" Argent called out in relief. Braedon smiled, his eyes still holding onto his anger.

"The one and only." He said, pulling out a pocket knife and sawing at the vines.

"Taht will take too long!" Argent gasped. "Just use Honedge." Braedon nodded and yanked the pokeball off of Argent's belt.

"Go, Honedge!" Braedon yelled as he threw the pokeball in the air. Honedge appeared in a flash of light. The minute he saw his trainer, he knew what to do. Honedge began sawing the vines, making quick work of them.

Argent stood, and they rushed to Amber's side. She was commanding Sableye and Tauros effectively, offering them encouragement as they grappled with their foe.

Cedar giggled. "This bores me." She said. "Shall we end this, Pierce?"

Pierce nodded. "Mamoswine, Strength!"

"Tangrowth, Thorns!" Cedar called.

Mamoswine grew to twice it's size and lifted Tauros with it's tusks, then threw him into a nearby building. Tangrowth became covered in thorns, causing Sableye to let go and fall to the ground.

"Mamoswine over powered Tauros?" Amber gasped.

"And that Tangrowth's vines changed." Argent observed. "That wasn't a Pokemon move."

Cedar giggled. "Our Pokemon are special." She said. "Like us, they were trained under Arch Bishop Andreas himself!"

Argent didn't like the sound of that. The Arch Bishops were supposedly level seven trainers, which meant they were no joke.

"It doesn't matter how strong you are!" Braedon said. "You attacked Argent. I'm not leting that go."

"Sable!" Sableye agreed.

"You also attacked that Pokemon Center." Amber said angrily. "All those poor Pokemon..." Tauros trotted to her side and snorted in agreement.

"In conclusion," Argent said, feeling braver than he actually was, "We're taking you two down, no matter what. So I suggest you surrender." Honedge assumed a fighting stance.

Pierce and Cedar shared a smile. "I can see why Gale hates you." Cedar said. "You three are so fun!"

"But we're not here to have fun." Pierce said. "We're here to fight."

"Prepare to be annihilated!" Cedar yelled. "By Bishop Cedar of the Tangled Vines and Bishop Pierce of the Mighty Glaciers!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: So I'm back, and so is this story. Sorry for the wait. And I have a rather sad announcement. Due to the fact that I have four stories going on and not enough energy to distribute between them, I have to drop one. So I've decided to discontinue okemon Alliance. Don't worry if you submitted OCs, I will use them when I eventually pick that story back up. But that story will no longer be connected to this one, and when I eventually rewrite it, it will have a new plot._** _ **As for this story, I'm looking to update weekly from now on. So I guess I'm really back!**_


	47. Chapter 46: Forrest and Sky Battle!

Argent had learned from his travels that anyone could be dangerous. The shy country girl, the carefree flirt, even the studious rich kid. None of those archetypes were associated with power.

But Argent couldn't deny that he and his friends had exceeded expectations. So he knew not to assume that the two young teenagers in front of him were anything but deadly.

"Honedge, Iron Head!" Argent yelled. Honedge shot forward like a thrown dagger, heading for Tangrowth.

"Power Whip!" Cedar commanded.

Tangrowth's vines shot forward and wrapped around Honedge, stopping it mid strike.

"Honedge!" Argent called urgently. "Cut the vines!"

But Honedge didn't seem caple of doing that. It struggled and grunted.

"Those are extra thick vines!" Cedar said. "You can't break through them!"

Argent gritted his teeth. "Honedge, return!" Argent yelled, returning his partner to his pokeball. Argent grabbed another ball from his belt. He threw it. "Talonflame, go! Heat Wave!"

Talonflame appeared in a flash of light. She immediately began to flap her wings, causing a gust of red wind to surround Tangrowth and Mamoswine.

"Nice one, Argent!" Braedon said. But he spoke too soon.

"Blizzard!" Pierce yelled. Mamoswine opened it's mouth and a giant gust of snow blew away the Heat Wave.

"Grassy Terrain!" Cedar yelled.

Tangrowth's vines sank into the ground. Suddenly, the ground began to shake. Trees erupted from the ground around them. The road began to crack, and grass emerged from the cracks. The trees grew vines and toweered over them, blocking out the sun.

"Was that Grassy Terrain?" Amber wondered. "How powerful are these guys?"

"It doesn't matter." Argent said. "We can't see them in this forest. Be on your guard!"

Amber and Braedon nodded. Their Pokemon tensed.

They all waited. Argent felt a chill go down his back.

 _No, wait. That chill_...

"Does it feel really cold to you guys?" Amber asked, shivering.

Suddenly, Talonflame flew in front of them, it's body wrapped in flames. Out of the trees, a gust of snow collided with the Talonflame.

"Well done, Talonflame!" Argent praised.

From the forest emerged Pierce, followed by a giant snowflake with a gnarled face. Cryogonal.

"I'd give up." Pierce said. "With Cedar's Grass Types, she has complete control over this forest. And with me in here with you, you're as good as dead."

"Funny," Braedon said, "If I remember correctly, Rios, Scarlet, and Mulan said similar things. And we sent them packing. Just like we're gonna do to you."

Pierce laughed, and even his laughs were like wind chimes. It was creepy enough to make Argent shiver more. "I'll admit, defeating them was impressive. But we're the most powerful of the Bishops, taught by Arch Bishop Andreas himself."

"It doesn't matter if Arceus himself taught you!" Amber snapped. "You're just another bully with an ego."

Pierce snarled. "How dare you mention that demon pokemon around me." Pierce growled. "How dare you-"

"See?" Braedon interrupted. "That's your problem. That's the church's problem. You all disrespect the beliefs of others, thinking your's are superior!"

Argent nodded grimly. "It's as Amber said. You and your church are nothing but playground bullies who found a new way to impose on others."

Pierce looked livid. Argent took a step back. "How dare you disrespect my church! Cryonogal, Mirror Shot!"

Cryonogal began to glow, and shards of glass appeared in front of him, shooting at Argent and his friends.

"Power Gem!" Breadon yelled. Sableye jumped forward, and the ground erupted with a stream of coloful gems that shot toward the glass. But the glass ccut through the gems and collided with Sableye.

"Sable!" He screamed in agony. He fell to the ground.

"With one hit..." Braedon muttered, distraught. He ran to Sableye.

"Oh no you don't!" Pierce yelled, and another volley of glass shot at Braedon. He jumped to the side, nearly getting impaled.

"Get away from him!" Amber and Argent yelled at once. Talonflame and Tauros rushed forward, Tauros glowing silver and Talonflame surrounded by fire, and they collided with Cryonogal. But they bounced off as if they had his the side of a mountain.

"How?!" Amber gasped.

"My pokemon are nearly indestructible!" Pierce boasted. "Unlike most Ice types, they have high defense!"

"But my Honedge can cut through any defense! Iron Head!" Argent yelled, throwing a pokeball. Honedge appeared, and collided with Cryonogal. But he too bounced off.

"No!" Argent yelled, his heart constricting.

"Hone?" Honedge said in shock.

Pierce grinned. "Now do you see the power of my Church? You made the mistake of disrespecting us once. I won't let you make it again."

"The Hallowed Church is pathetic!" Argent yelled. He jumped on Talonflame's back, Honedge floating by his side. "And you'll never get our pokedexes!"

Amber and Braedon caught on. They both pulled out their Pokedexes and put them in Argent's bag.

"You-You-" Pierce shouted. "Mirror Shot!"

"Up!" Argent yelled, and Talonflame flew up right as the shards of glass hit where they were hovering before. "Come and get us!" Argent yelled. Talonflame flew further up, above the trees, Honedge following them.

 _Please let this work..._ Argent thought desperately.

Then Pierce came rocketing through the trees, riding on the top of a Glalie, Cryogonal by his side.

"You will give me those Pokedexes." Pierce growled. "and then I will knock you from the skies."

Argent glared back. "Honedge, Slash!"

"Cryonogal, Reflect!"

Honedge collided with Cryonogal, the two pushing at each other for dominance.

"You can do it!"Argent yelled.

Honedge pushed, and Cryonogal lost an inch. Argent smirked.

* * *

"We have to find Cedar and kick her ass." Braedon said. Amber nodded. Braedon returned Sableye and called out Pancham. Amber returned Tauros and called out Vivillon.

They began to walk through the make shift forest, in the direction that they knew Cedar was.

"Maybe we can surprise her, or-" Braedon started, but Amber interupted him by tackling him. He heard a loud thump and felt the ground shake the second he hit the forest floor.

Braedon looked up. A tree had just fallen where they were standing.

"Not way that's an accident." Braedon muttered. They scrambled to their feet.

"Of course not." That voice. It was Cedar, but it came from all directions. Braedon felt a shiver down his spine that wasn't related to the cold. "I control this forest. And everything in it is my plaything. Including you two!"

Another tree came down to Braedon's right. Pancham jumped forward and punched it, causing the tree to splinter and fall in front of Braedon instead of on top of him. Braedon felt his heart fall to his gut.

"We have to get out of here!" Amber yelled, earning the award for most obvious statement ever. They ran forward, but another tree fell in front of them, forcing them to stop before they got flattened.

"There's no running!" Cedar shouted. The shout began to echo around them, until a million Cedar's were shouting.

 _"No running! No running! No running! No running!"_

Amber grabbed Braedon's arm. He could feel both their heart beats, accelerated far beyond what they should be. Beside him, Pancham whimpered, grabbing his leg. Vivillon flew behind Amber and landed on the back of her head, and Argent could hear her buzzing in fear.

 _"No running! No running! No running! No running!"_

She was right. there was no running.

"We're going to die in this forest..." Braedon muttered, holding onto his best friend for dear life.


	48. Chapter 47: Prodigies in the Forrest!

"Close Range Mirror Shot!" Pierce yelled.

Shards of glass formed around Honedge and rained down on him, forcing him back.

 _Honedge isn't that damgaged, because it's a Steel type move._ Argent thought. _And I should have the advantage with a Steel type. But how do I get past his insane Defense? Is it's Special Defense just as strong?_

"Honedge," Argent called. "Autotomize!"

Honedge began to glow.

"No matter how fast you are, you can't break through my Cryonogal!" Pierce yelled.

"Iron Head! Slash! Volley attacks!" Argent yelled. Honedge flew forward as it an invisible man was stabbing with a sword. Cryongal took the hit effortlessly. Honedge kept hitting him, slashing and stabbing so fast he was just a blur, but Cryonogal seemed unfazed.

"Freeze Dry!" Pierce yelled.

Cryonogal began to glow with a blue aura. Balls of ice formed, pelting Honedge and knocking it back. They beegan to surround him and form a giant ball of ice.

"Heat Wave!" Argent yelled.

"Talon!" Talonflame cawed. She began to flap her wiongs, creating a fiery gust of wind that melted the still forming ice.

"Now, Shadow Ball!" Argent yelled. A ball of swirling purple energy formed in front of Honedge, the rocketed toward Cryonogal. The hit landed, causing an explosion of purple energy and smoke.

When the smoke cleared, Cryonogal was still floating.

 _Just as I thought... It's special defense is as high as it's attack._

"Did you honestly think that would work?!" Pierce boasted.

"It made more sense than your Church's philosophy." Argent pointed out.

"You little... Icicle Crash!" Pierce commanded.

"Dodge!" Argent yelled.

"Edge!" Honedge cried as it darted left and right to dodge the giant shards of ice flying in his direction.

"Yes!" Argent yelled. "You may be able to endure my attacks, but you're pokemon are slow! This will be easy!"

Then Argent heard a scream from below him, and his bravado left. He wanted to look down, but looking away from Pierce would be a death sentence.

Pierce grinned. "Looks like my sister is having her fun." he mused. "Do you think your friends will be able to endure her attacks?"

"If they get hurt, I'll kill you and her." Argent swore.

Pierce just chortled. "As if you could." He said confidently. "But since you obviously care so much about them, I'll make you a deal. I'll tell Cedar to spare them, if you release your Honedge."

"What?" Argent gasped.

"It's Impure." Pierce explained. "It doesn't deserve a trainer. Release it, and I'll call Cedar off."

"No... I can't..." Argent said.

"So you love it more then them?" Pierce asked with a devilish grin.

"Hone?" Honedge called, looking back at Argent.

"No-" Argent croaked. "I-"

"Which is it Argent?" Pierce asked. "You're friends or your partner?"

* * *

Amber screamed as the tree fell above her, but Vivillon was ready. A barrier of light appeared around them, and the tree crashed into it.

"Thanks." Amber told her, her voice throaty.

"We can't hide here forever." Braedon said grimly. "Protect only last five minutes, less if the barrier is hit."

Amber nodded. She needed a way out of this mess.

"That nasty shield won't keep me out!" Cedar sang.

"Shit!" Braedon yelled. Amber looked down and cursed as well.

Vines were erupting from the ground, wrapping around his legs. Pancham immediately began to pull at them, but they didn't budge.

"Braedon-" Amber started, but another tree fell on the barrier, causing her words to die in her throat.

"Viv!" Vivillon cried, struggling to hold the barrier up.

 _"I've got you now!"_ Cedar yelled.

"Amber, do you have a revive?" Braedon asked.

"Yeah, but-"

"Good! I have a plan!" Braedon grunted. "But you have to be fast! And you need to leave me here."

Amber shook her head. "No way. I can't-"

"Amber, now!" Braedon shouted. "Leave Vivillon and go! I'll be alright if you're fast. The barrier will only hold for a few more minutes!"

Amber felt a deep pit open up in her stomach. She couldn't leave Braedon...

"Amber, please..." Braedon said. "You're my best friend. Don't you trust me?"

Amber nodded. "With my life." She said earnestly.

"And I'm trusting you with mine."

* * *

Cedar smiled, sitting outside the forest. Soon, the barrier would fall, and so would the prodigies.

Then the ground erupted beneath her, flinging her into the air. She felt something wrap around her body as she fell to the ground.

From the hole in the ground, Amber emerged. Tangrowth rushed forward to free it's master, but from the hole Swirlix appeared, blocking it's path.

"Growth!" Tangrowth yelled as it shot vines at Swirlix.

"Swirlix," Amber yelled. "Dodge, then Cotton Spore!"

Swirlix dodged each vine easily, then shot balls of cotton at Tangrowth from his mouth. Tangrowth became surrounded in sticky cotton, unable to move.

"Now, go Tauros! Zen Headbutt!" Amber yelled, throwing his pokeball. Tauros appeared, and began to emit sparks from his horns as he chraged. He rammed into Tangrowth, and it flew back into the side of a building, knocked out.

Amber looked at the trees. They were turning into green energy, evaporating in the wind.

Amber returned Swirlix and Tauros and ran to Braedon.

* * *

"Which is it?" Pierce asked in a gleeful tone. "Them or it?"

Honedge continued to look at Argent. He was awaiting an command. Argent bit his lip.

Then Honedge looked down. "Hone?" he said in confusion.

Argent looked down despite himself. The forest was evaporating into green mist.

"Cedar was defeated?" Pierce gasped. "How dare they-" He began to fly toward the ground, but Honedge flew to block his path.

"No way!" Argent said roughly. He could feel tears burning his eyes. "You aren't touching them! Honedge, Iron Head!"

Honedge slashed at Cryonogal, knocking it back.

"I'm your opponent." Argent declared. "And I won't lose!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Reader Question of the week! We've hit 7000 thousand views all together on Quotev FF and Wattpad! I guess this means a new bonus chapter! What do you guys want for the bonus chapter? Tell me in your reviews/comments!_**


	49. Chapter 48: Prodigies vs The Glacier!

Argent had never been so livid. He almost had to choose between his friends. Argent was going to make Pierce pay for that.

"Iron Head!"

"Icicle Crash!"

Hinedge sped forward as shards of ice rained down upon him. He veered left and right to avoid the ice as he rocketed toward Cryogonal. He collided head on with Cryogonal, knocking it back a few feet. But, despite the super effective attack, Cryogonal was still conscious.

 _How?_

"Ice Beam!" Pierce yelled.

"Dodge!" Argent cried.

Honedge darted to the left as Cryogonal shot a beam of blue energy at him.

"Iron Head!" Argent yelled.

Honedge shot forward and collided with Cryonogal again, and the two bounced back.

"How can it's Defense be so high?!" Argent cursed. "There's no way!"

Pierce grinned, causin Argent to shiver. That grin was the grin of an old man luring kids into his ice cream truck. It didn't belong on someone as young as Pierce.

"My Defense stat is so high," Pierce said, "that you'll never break through! And I have five other pokemon just as strong! You can't win, Prodigy."

Argent glowered at him, any hint of composure gone. "You don't tell me what I can and can't do! Honedge, Talonflame, and I are going to win! Iron Head! Over and over!"

Honedge began to glow with a silvery aura as he began to slash as Cryonogal.

"You can't win!" Pierce laughed coldy. "Icicle Crash!"

Shards of ice rained down on Honedge, knocking him back toward Argent.

"Hone!" He yelled.

 _This isn't working..._ Argent thought. "Honedge, return!" Argent pressed the button on his pokeball,, but Honedge dodged the red beam of light.

"Edge!" he cried.

Argent shook his head. "Stop being stubborn. You can't win!"

Honedge looked at Argent, then began to glow. It rushed at Cryogonal again, colliding with it.

"Honedge, you don't have to-"

"Hone!" he grunted.

Why wasn't he listening? Why wouldn't he give up?

Then it hit Argent.Argent had nearly released Honedge because of Pierce. And their whole time together, Argent had pushed Honedge to be the best, to be better. Honedge thought Argent had actually wanted to release him.

"Honedge!" Argent yelled as Honedge grappled with Cryonogal. "It's okay! I won't be mad if you can't do it! It's okay! You're my best friend, of course I wouldn't release you!"

"Hone..." Honedge cried, letting go. He was flung back toward Argent.

"You did great." Argent told him. "I'm so proud to call you my partner."

"Edge! Edge!" Honedge affirmed.

"It doesn't matter what pokemon you use!" Pierce shouted. "My Defense is unbreakable!"

Argent balled his fist. "You're wrong! I believe in my friends! Amber and Braedon beat Cedar, and my Pokemon will beat you!"

"Hone!" Honedge cried, poonting his blade at Pierce.

Then Honedge began to glow. Soon he became surrounded in light to the point where Argent could barely see him. His form began to change. He seemed to grow.

Then the light faded, and floating in front of Argent was two crossed sword sheaths, both with purple tassels on the end of their handle.

"Doublade!" he cried.

"You evolved!" Argent cried happily.

"Evolution or not," Pierce said, "he still can not defeat my Pokemon!"

Doublade unsheathed both it's swords, then rushed forward, the blades glowing with a violet aura. The two blades struck Glalie and Cryonogal, causing both Pokemon to cry out.

"No!" Pierce cried as they all began to plummet.

"Talonflame!" Argent yelled. Taloflame dived down, catching Pierce with her talons.

"We did it!" Argent cried. He hugged Talonflame.

"Talon!"

"Doublade!"

* * *

"You never cease to amaze me, you know that?" Braedon told him in the police hold up. Amber was being questioned by a detective about their fight with Cedar and Pierce, the two of them already having been questioned. Braedon and Argent had been catching each other up on what happened during their respective battles.

At first, Argent couldn't believe that Tangrowth had been defeated in one hit. But now that ge thought about ir, it made sense. Pierce had little strength but massive defense. Cedar, his opposite, was absurdedly powerful but lacked endurance. That's why the two were paired together.

"It was Ho - Doublade, really." Argent said honestly. "I can't believe he evolved _and_ learned Sacred Sword."

Btaedon nodded. "Still, it was really brave of you to take on Pierce by yourself."

"And it was brave of you to tell Amber to leave you behind." Argent replied.

Amber walked out just then, and after the three of them were dismissed by the police, they left the precinct.

"So what now?" Amber wondered. "Sleep?"

"Later." Argent said. "After defeating even more Hallowed Church members, we deserve to have some fun."

Braedon smiled, and Argent couldn't help but think that he wanted to protect that smile from the world.

"Then let's go!" he said. "I need some new outfits so I can impress all the boys in town. And we need to get Doublade a dusk stone, so he can evolve."

"I don't think so." Argent said. "I mean, we can get the stone, but I don't think I'm evolvimg him yet. I might save it for an emergency."

"So tomorrow, around noon?" Amber joked.

"Sounds about right." Braedon said, and they all burst into laughter.

Argent wished that they would never stop.

* * *

Gale was growing tired of her subordinates.

"I could have took them." Andreas snapped. "Why did you call me back?"

"Does it matter?" Gale raised an eyebrow. "I'm Head Priest. I say jump, you fly. That's how it goes."

"We could go." Rios said, brushing a hand through his flyaway hair. "We won't lose again."

"Please." Andreas said. "If my Bishops couldn't defeat them, then what chance do you have?"

Gale saw Rios tense, but he held his tongue. He knew not to defy an Archbishop.

"Just as well," Scarlet said, "I don't feel like taking on those cheating brats again."

"Don't you want revenge for what they did?" Mulan asked.

"They're going to crash and burn no matter what." Scarlet answered. "Why waste my time when one of you could do it?"

"With a can-do attitude like that, I'm surprised you failed." Arthur said, rolling his eyes.

Gale rubbed her temples. "Children, could you please stop bickering, or-"

"Or I'll have to punish you."

They all turned to face the doorway. Striding in was Masa, Joseph, Volterre, Cedar, and Pierce.

"That was fast." Gale mused. "You broke them out that quickly?"

"It took a little longer than I thought." Masa said with a giggle, her pigtails swaying. She grinned, showing the alternating blue and yellow bands of her braces. "Some of those naughty police officers had to be punished."

At her side, Volterre snorted. Joseph grinned.

"What are we going to do about the Pokedexes?" Volterre signed quickly, the sleeves to his robes sliding down his dark arms. Joseph translated.

Gale sighed. "Nothing."

The members of the Holy Legion exchanged looks. "Nothing?" Joseph repeated, adjusting his dress shirt collar.

"We have more pressing matters." Gale said.

"More pressing than Plan Erasure?" Pierce wondered.

Gale nodded. "The plan will go on as schelduled. But we must avoid the Prodigies. We will be going to the Pokeball Factory as planned. But the rest of our plans must change."

"Why must they change Head Priest?" Mulan wondered. "If I may be so bold." she added quickly.

"Because I beleive their is a traitor among us." Gale said.


	50. Chapter 49: Daunting Pokemon!

"And then we all caught them at the same time!" Braedon exclaimed. "It was great, Dad."

Micheal Lovette smiled warmly. "That's my boy. Clever, like your old man."

Braedon was having his weekly call with his father, two days after the battle with Pierce and Cedar (something he wisely omitted when embellishing his adventures to his father). After taking a well deserved day off, they were ready to continue their mission by taking on Route 8.

"Damn right I am." Braedon said. "And today the three of us are going to Route 8 to catch Clawitzer, Barbaracle, Inkay, and Dragalge. We're renting a water pokemon and going diving for them."

"Do the three of you not have water types?" Braedon's father asked.

"Nah." Braedon confirmed. "But it should be fine."

Michael nodded. "Then I suppose I should leave you to it. Goodbye son."

"Bye dad!"

Braedon closed his Holo and walked back to Amber and Argent, who were currently sitting in one of the Pokemon Center booths.

"Good talk?" Amber asked.

Braedon nodded. "I don't know why he's so happy all of the sudden," Braedon said, "but he's been a lot warmer the past few weeks."

Argent looked pensive, and Braedon remembered that he didn't have the best relationship with his own father. "That's good for you, isn't it?" Argent said thoughtfully. "But we have work to do. I managed to call and rent three Lapras for three hours. Just so you know, you're all paying for your own Lapras. They are very expensive."

"How expensive?" Amber asked. When Argent told her the price, she whistled. "Oh. Looks like I won't be eating for the next few weeks."

Braedon laughed. "Relax, Am. I'll pay for them. I just got my allowance from Dad."

"Then it's settled." Argent said resolutely. "We set out for Route 8 in an hour."

"Actually, let's go now." Amber said. "I wanted to have a picnic on the beach."

Argent frowned. "But we already took a day off. _And_ we're behind schedule."

"At this point we're so behind schedule we'd need a miracle to catch up." Amber pointed out.

Argent groaned. "Don't remind me." he muttered. "I worked so hard on the schedule too. My entire plan, down the drain..."

Braedon giggled. "But if you let us do this we'll let you start a new schedule."

Argent smirked. "I already have, but fine. We'll have a picnic."

* * *

"Ayye swere to Arkus," Braedon said, his mouth full of food, "diss iz soo gud."

Argent gave him a look, something Braedon was used to. "You are such a Tepig."

Braedon swallowed. "Hey, at least I'm eating more than just sweets!"

Amber threw a chocolate covered strawberry at him. "At least I'm taking breaks to breathe!"

"What is this, attack Braedon day?" Braedon snarked. Amber laughed and went to pick up another strawberry, then gasped.

"Amber!" Braedon and Argent were on their feet, pokeball in hand (which made no sense since all of their pokemon were out of their pokeballs, but it's the thought that counts).

"The strawberries are gone!" Amber shrieked.

Argent sat back down. "Is that all. Amber? You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Amber glared at Braedon. "You stole them!"

"Nah." Braedon said. "It was a Crawdaunt that's been stealing our food for the past half hour."

"What?!" Amber cried.

Braedon smirked. "Sableye, Dig!"

Sableye began to quickly dig a hole in the ground. He sank into the sand, then it exploded behind Amber as Crawdaunt was thrown into the air.

It landed in the middle of their potato salad, knocked out.

"Why didn't you tell us another Pokemon was stealing our food?" Argent demanded.

Braedon sighed. "Because thief code says that you don't out other thieves unless you have to. Duh."

"How silly of me." Argent deadpanned. "Now what?"

"Well it's a thief," Braedon said, "So I call keeping it!" Braedon pulled out a pokeball from his waste and pressed the button. A red beam hit Crawdaunt and it was sucked inside. The ball rocked in Braedon's hand twice, then clicked.

"Wonderful." Amber moaned. "Meanwhile, I'm out of sweets." Beside her, Swirlix whimpered and Tyrunt rolled his eyes.

Argent ignored her and scanned the pokeball with his Pokedex.

 _"Crawdaunt, The Rogue Pokemon. Crawdaunt has an extremely violent nature that compels it to challenge other living things to battle. Other life-forms refuse to live in ponds inhabited by this Pokémon, making them desolate places. This Crawdaunt is female. Moves Known: Crabhammer, Dig, Night Slash, and Swords Dance. Ability: Adaptability."_

"Violent, Dark Type, a thief..." Argent mused. "I can see why you of all people caught it, Braedon."

"And now we have a water type!" Braedon said. "This is great!"

* * *

This was not great.

In the past hour that they had been on Lapras's backs, Crawdaunt had attacked them, the Lapras, random wild pokemon, and even her own reflection. Twice.

"Will you chill out already?!" Braedon snapped as Sableye and Pancham struggled to keep Crawdaunt from leaping into the water and attacking a Finneon. "Dammit Crawdaunt-" Braedon returned her to her Pokeball. Pancham and Sableye fell onto Lapras's back in exhaustion.

"That Pokemon is almost as violent as Talonflame used to be." Argent noted. "Perhaps if it got to battle some it would calm down?"

They had already caught Inkay, Skrelp, Clauncher, Clawitzer, Binacle, and Barbaracle. All they needed was the ever elusive Malamar.

"But every time I take it out to battle it attacks me!" Braedon said angrily. "I'd be dead if it weren't for Sableye!"

"Hmm." Amber mused. "When we would have rambunctious Pokemon at the ranch, we would use pokedolls and let them attack those."

"Replace 'rambunctious' with 'bloodthirsty' and you got Crawdaunt." Braedon said. "And we don't have any pokedolls."

"Then you have to humble it." Amber said. "It loves battling a lot, right? So give it a taste of defeat."

"That could work." Argent said, then added, "If you beat it in battle a few times it'll learn to respect you as well."

Braedon looked at Crawdaunt's pokeball. "Nice idea. But how will I beat it? I have no other water types, and we're out to sea. "

Amber shrugged. "No idea. Maybe we can wait until we get to shore? Our time is almost up, and we haven't seen a Malamar. So we can catch one on another route."

Braedon nodded. They steered Lapras toward the shore. Braedon hadn't been able to take in how beautiful the scenery was before, with Crawdaunt trying to decapitate them, but now he could really appreciate the sparkling blue water and glittering scales of the schools of Finneon flying by.

They returned Lapras once they reached the shore, then Braedon grabbed Crawdaunt's pokeball. He threw it.

Crawdaunt appeared on the battle field in a flash of light, and immediately went after Pancham.

"Power-up Punch!" Braedon yelled. Pancham's body glowed with a red aura, and she rushed forward and punched Crawdaunt, who met her strike with it's claw, which was surrounded in water. Pancham went flying back, and Crawdaunt jumped in the sand.

"Wait for it, Pancham!" Braedon yelled. But then Crawdaunt erupted from the ground beneath Pancham, sending it into the air once more. Crawdaunt then swiped at Pancham again, but Pancham caught Crawdaunt's claw and threw her into the sky.

"Pancham, Sky Uppercut!" Braedon yelled. "Don't let her touch the ground!"

Pancham's fist began to glow as it punched upward, sending Crawdaunt flying. As she fell to the ground, Crawdaunt's claws began to glow with a black aura.

"Power-Up Punch!" Braedon yelled.

Pancham met the glowing claw with it's own fist, and the two were both flung back by the force of the attacks.

"You both okay?" Braedon asked.

"Pan- pan! Cham!" Pancham cried.

"Crawdaunt- Craw!" Crawdaunt screamed.

"Okay, use Comet Punch!"

Pancham rushed forward, and met Crawdaunt's claws with her own fists. They began to parry, looking for an opening on the other.

"Sky Uppercut!" Braedon yelled.

Pancham punched upward, knocking Crawdaunt into the air again.

"Now, Finish it! Power-up Punch!"

Pancham jumped into the air and knocked Crawdaunt into the ground mid-flight. She landed in a cloud of sand.

Braedon looked at Crawdaunt. She had fainted.

Braedon returned Crawdaunt. "Hopefully this works." He said. "Or we may have to suffer more beatings."

"Pan?"

Braedon turned around in time to see Pancham glowing, growing taller and more muscular. The light died and standing before Braedon was a Pangoro.

"You evolved?!" Braedon cried, hugging her tightly. In the background, he could hear a Pokedex.

 _"Pangoro, the Daunting Pokemon. Although it possesses a violent temperament, it won't put up with bullying. It uses the leaf in its mouth to sense the movements of its enemies. It charges ahead and bashes its opponents like a berserker, uncaring about any hits it might take. Its arms are mighty enough to snap a telephone pole. This Pangoro is female. Moves Known: Sky Uppercut, Power-up Punch, Comet Punch, and Parting Shot. Ability: Iron Fist."_

Braedon hugged her tighter. "Watch out world, Because Team Braedon is coming for you!" He cheered.

"Since when were we 'Team Breadon'?" Argent wondered.

"Congratulations!" Amber told him earnestly. She stroked Pangoro's fur.

Braedon let go and looked up at Pangoro. This was becoming an excellent day.

* * *

 _ **A/N: So I kinda forgot that Braedon was supposed to catch the winner of the poll until half-way through this chapter. So I'm postponing so the winner is the last Pokemon Braedon catches. I've also decided to do the bonus chapter at 100 reviews, so look forward to that!**_


	51. Chapter 50: Protector of the Temple!

After a brief stop at the beautiful beach town called Cyllage City, they were at the mouth of Zubat Roost.

The cave mouth was large and imposing, and Amber could hear nothing from it. She knew that most of the Pokemon in the cave were Zubat, a nocturnal Pokemon, so they were all asleep now.

"So what's our target?" Braedon asked Argent.

"Axew, Fraxure, and Haxorus." He answered. "With Amber's Swirlix and my Klefki, a Dragon type should be easy."

" _Should_ be." Amber enunciated. "But with our luck, it won't be."

They entered the cave, and Amber gasped. Not because the cave was beautiful, but because it got dark really fast.

"Hold on," Amber said, pulling out a pokeball "I got this. Vivillon, Flash!"

Amber threw the pokeball, and Vivillon appeared in a flash of blinding white light, Vivillon appeared. As soon as the light from the pokeball died, Vivillon began to glow brightly, illuminating the cave.

This time when Amber gasped, it was because of how impressive the cave was.

It was _huge_. Amber had seen pictures of Braedon's mansion, and this seemed _bigger,_ somehow. Stalagmites hung from the ceiling and Stalagmires jutted from the floor. Even Vivillon's light didn't illuminate the whole tunnel, and it got darker the further Amber looked.

"That's odd." Argent mused.

"What's odd?" Amber wondered.

"The ceiling." Argent said.

"Gee, that explains it all." Braedon said in his most irritating voice.

Amber looked up. "It does, though." Amber said. "Where do Zubat sleep?"

"Oh..." Braedon finally got it. "Their aren't any Zubat here. But this is _Zubat_ Roost. It's like, 75% Zubat."

"Well, this is a great way to start the day." Amber sighed.

"Very foreboding." Argent agreed.

They continued walking down the cave in silence, Argent leading the way with his Holo's map. It was a straight path to Camphier town.

"Hey," Argent said after about ten minutes, "it says here that if we go down this tunnel coming up, there's a temple. Maybe if we ask them what's going on..."

"Or," Braedon suggested, "We can not get involved for once."

Amber and Argent looked at him.

Braedon sighed. "Of course not. How optimistic of me."

They turned down the tunnel. It wasn't long before they reached a temple that seemed to be growing out of the rock. White and almost as imposing as the cave, the temple was illuminated by two streetlamp like lights. The temple had no doors, and the inside was dark.

"The temple looks abandoned." Braedon said.

"'The Nadir Temple,'" Argent read, "Was created in this cave during the colonial era, by Neo-Arceist settlers."

"Neo-Arceist?" Amber asked.

"A protestant faith of Arciesm." Argent explained. "During that time, they were immigrating to Unova to obtain religious freedom. But a few went to Kalos. That's what makes this temple special- they were some of the only Neo-Arceist settlers in Kalos to survive, and they later went on to build Cyllage City."

"Am I even allowed in?" Braedon asked, his eyebrows furrowing, "Since I'm Arolite?"

"One way to find out." Amber said, and they approached the temple. "Hello?"

"Hax!"

Something came rocketing out of the temple. Amber barely had time to yell "Vivillon, Protect!" before it collided with a barrier and bounced off.

"Is that a Haxorus?" Braedon yelled as it beat against the barrier of light. Vivillon struggled to jeep the barrier up as the reptilian Pokemon rammed it's tusks into it. The looked like curved blades, and were blood red. The creature himself was a bug like color of green and black, with red claws on it's hands and feet. It opened it's jaw and screamed, showing it's Sharpedo like teeth.

Amber brought out her Pokedex. " _Haxorus_ ," it said, " _The Axe Jaw Pokemon. They are kind but can be relentless when defending territory. They challenge foes with tusks that can cut steel. Their sturdy tusks will stay sharp even if used to cut steel beams. These Pokémon are covered in hard armor. This Haxorus is Male. Moves Known: Outrage, Dragon Claw, Twister, Swords Dance. Ability: Mold Breaker._ "

"It must have made this abandoned temple it's home!" Amber cried.

"And that's why there are no Zubat around." Braedon said, watching as Vivillon struggled to hold up the barrier.

"What do we do?" Argent said urgently.

"We fight!" Amber shouted, pulling out a pokeball. she felt the familair rush that she always got during battle. "Swirlix, Play Rough! Vivillon, let down the barrier!"

Swirlix appeared right as Vivillon let down the shield, and he began to glow with a pink aura. Swirlix rushed at Haxorus head on, hitting the gargantuan on the chin and knocking it a few feet back.

"Kecleon!"

"Klefki!"

They both appeared in a flash of light.

"Fairy Wind!" Argent yelled. A twister of pink wind surrounded Haxorus. It's eyes began to glow, and the wind became green and foggy, before reversing direction and blowing Kecleon, Swirlix, and Klefki.

"Kecleon!" Braedon yelled. "Synchronoise!"

Kecleon opened it's mouth. Amber heard no sound, but Haxorus cried out in agony and covered it's ears. The wind stopped.

"Play Rough!" Amber and Argent yelled together.

Kleki and Swirlix began to flow, and they rammed into Haxorus. He fell back into the temple with a loud crash, causing the cave to shake.

Amber grabbed a pokeball and threw it. A red beam erupted from the ball and hit Haxorus, before he was sucked into the ball. It twitched twice, then clicked.

"Nice throw, Amber!" Braedon said, high-fiving her.

Amber grinned and held out her hand. The Pokeball flew into her palm, and she held down the button for five seconds so it would shrink. Once it was small, she pocketed it.

They congratulated their Pokemon and returned them.

The temple was destroyed from Haxorus landing on it. Amber wondered if destroying a temple was a one way ticket to hell or not. With their luck, probably.

"That was easy." Amber said. "Now all we need is Axew and Fraxure-"

"Wait." Argent interrupted. "Do you hear that?"

Amber listened, and she heard it too. The sound of clanking.

"Who ever you are," Amber yelled, "Show yourself!"

From behind a rock emerged a shaking Pokemon made of blue... Rocks? It had a head with a cyan-colored fin-thingy on top of its head, and two bewitching, yellow eyes. Around its spherical body were brown straps, which meet at a blue square with a yellow swirl in the center. It had four large stones, two on its arms and two acting as its feet.

Amber approached it slowly. "Hey, it's okay." Amber muttered to the shaking Pokemon. "You're okay, I promise."

Argent took out his Pokedex. " _Golett, The Automaton Pokemon. The energy that burns inside it enables it to move, but no one has yet been able to identify this energy. Legend says these Pokémon were created by the science of an ancient and mysterious civilization. They can often be found protecting places of spiritual significance, such as cemeteries or temples. They are a gender-less species. Moves Known: Mega Punch, Dynamic Punch, Night Shade, and Curse. Ability: Klutz._ "

"You must have migrated to this temple to protect it." Amber said in her most calming voice, inching closer. "Didn't you? But that mean Haxorus scared you away, didn't he? Don't worry, we got him now. You're safe."

When Amber got an inch away, it ran into her arms and began to shake harder.

"Is it... Crying?" Argent wondered.

"You would be to if a mean Haxorus took over your temple and destroyed it." Amber said defensively.

Braedon went to pet them, but Golett shrank further into Amber's arms.

"Some protector." Braedon snorted. "They're a coward."

"Don't listen to him." Amber cooed, glaring at Braedon. "That Haxorus was scary. Yes he was. C'mon, let's get out of this cave."

"Wait, you're keeping them?" Braedon asked in surprise.

"Said the person with a murderous Water Type." Argent retorted.

"Fair."

Amber pulled out a pokeball from her pocket. She felt Golett stiffen in her arms.

"It's okay." She told them. "I got you." Amber pressed the button on the pokeball, and it shot a beam of red at Golett. The ball shook twice, then clicked.

"Okay, let's get out of here before someone realizes we destroyed this place." Braedon said. They didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So I'm doing a Q &A when we hit 100 reviews, so ask me or any of the characters questions. No limit on how many, but make sure you specify who you're asking! The characters participating are Amber, Braedon, Argent, all their Pokemon, Sapphire, Ken, Olivia, Rhodes, and Austin Lancaster! But only the Pokemon of the main three will be participating. Also, ask a lot of questions so I can make a good long bonus chapter!_**


	52. Chapter 51: Family

Argent couldn't believe he was doing this. It was an all time low for him.

Argent looked at the Holo, then put it to his ear. In the dead of night, the Holo's ringer sounded loud and ominous. Dear Arceus, this was a bad idea.

One ring. _He's not going to pick up._ Two rings. _He hates me._ Three rings. _This is all Braedon's fault._ Four Rings. _No, it's mine._ Five rings. _How do Austin and Rhodes do this?_ Six Rings. _He's not picking up..._

" _The number you are trying to reach has either changed or been deactivated."_

Argent dropped his Holo. His father had a new number. Was it because of him? Because Argent betrayed him?

 _He hates me._ Argent thought frantically. _I'm all he had left after mom and now he's alone and it's my fault. He hates me. He hates me. He hates me. He hates me. He hates me. He hates me. He hates me-_

Argent couldn't stop the tears from coming. Burning hot, they fell down his cheeks and onto the ground.

 _I'm sorry, Mom... Dad..._

* * *

"Go, Golett!" Amber yelled, throwing Golett's pokeball.

Golette appeared in a fountain of light. They saw their opponent, a female Meowstic, then hid behind Amber.

They were on Route 6, having caught Furfrou, Espurr, Spitzee, and Aromatisse already.

"She's half your size." Braedon told Golett. "You can take her!"

"Size hardly matters." Amber said, holding the shaking Golett. "I'm a foot shorter than you and I can kick your ass."

Braedon laughed. "Okay, true. But still... Golett, you have a type advantage. Use it."

Golett nodded, then puffed out their chest. "Golett!" they squeaked.

"Nice! Now, Night Shade!"

Golett shot a beam of black energy at Meowstic. A barrier appeared around her, and the black beam bounced back and hit Golett.

"Lett!" they cried as they were flung back. Golett got up and quickly hid behind Amber.

"Golett, you're doing fine!" Amber said positively. "I believe in you! You just have to-"

"Iron Head!"

Doublade rushed forward, blades drawn, and slashed at Meowstic. Meowstic fell to the ground, knocked out.

"Argent-"

Argent ignored her and threw a pokeball. Meowstic was caught in seconds.

"Dude, what the hell?!" Braedon demanded, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We're trying to help Golett!"

Argent pushed his hand off of his shoulder. "I just wanted to get to Camphier Town as quick as possible. My brother is waiting."

Amber frowned. "Are you sure that's it?"

Argent nodded stiffly. "Yeah. Sorry."

Braedon shrugged. "It's fine. You haven't seen your brother in years, right? Because your father wouldn't let you."

 _My father._

"Yeah," Argent muttered. "That's why."

Argent had talked to his brother Austin over the phone yesterday. It was a short, awkward conversation. Austin was participating in an art festival at Shabboneau Castle, which was in Camphier Town. They were meeting up there so Argent could see his brother in person.

Argent lead the way, not stopping when Braedon wanted to flirt with a boy (though Argent was sure he slipped a piece of paper into the boy's pocket. Probably a number) or when Amber saw a cute Roselia.

Camphier Town was a little bigger than Sandalwood, and had mostly cobblestone paths and rustic stone buildings. Much like Lumoise, along the streets were art vendors and food carts galore. Amber walked over to a sweet vendor and bought them ice cream to eat as they walked.

"No thank you." Argent said when she offered him some. She looked offended, but kept the cone for herself.

Finally, they arrived at Shabboneau Castle. On top of a giant hill with several overpasses, the castle was undoubtedly impressive. Normally Argent would be wondering about the architecture of the castle or reading aloud the castle's history, but he couldn't find it in him to care.

Their were stairs leading up to the castle, something Braedon wasn't too happy about.

"We have to climb the whole way?" he moaned. Argent glared at him but said nothing.

The walk was long, but they managed. The inside of the castle was very grand, with an elegant gray tiled floor and display cases full of relics everywhere.

"Argent!" Argent looked up to see Austin running toward him. Wearing a paint splattered blue hoodie, jeans, sandals, and a huge grin, his long brown hair was in a sloppy bun. He pulled Argent into a Beartic hug.

Braedon whistled. "Nice."

"Down boy." Amber told him.

"But he's hot."

Argent ignored them. "Hello, Austin."

"How's it going, little brother?" Austin asked in his deep baritone. "I've missed you."

Argent pulled back. "And I you, Austin." he looked at his brother. With his mousy hair and freckles, he looked just like-

"You okay?" Austin asked.

Argent nodded, feeling like he couldn't breathe. "I-I have to go. Bathroom."

Argent left as quick as possible, ducking into a hallway. He thought he could do this. Smile and act happy to see Austin. But he couldn't-

 _No_...

* * *

 _Argent snuggled closer, his tiny body fitting into his mother's. "Mom, can you tell me about the prince and the peasant?"_

 _Iris Lancaster nodded. "You love this story, don't you?"_

 _Argent nodded. "Especially when you tell it, Mommy."_

 _"Well, Once upon a time-"_

 _"Mommy, do you have to start it that way?"_

 _"Well, how else would I start it?" she asked with a confused smile._

 _"Well, you start it that way all the time. So how about... Once a long time ago?"_

 _His mom laughed again. "Okay, once, a long time ago, their was a prince. His parents were looking for him a wife."_

 _"But he was like me." Argent interjected. "He didn't want a princess."_

 _"You're getting ahead of yourself." she chided playfully, pinching his nose. Argent giggled._

 _"Mommy, stop!" Argent shrieked._

 _"Okay, okay." his mother said. "Truce?"_

 _Argent nodded. "Finish the story!"_

 _"Of course." she said. "Anyway, the King and Queen were looking for a wife for the prince. They searched far and wide. Only someone who could beat the prince in a pokemon battle could be his bride._

 _"But no matter where they went, no one could beat him. Until one day a peasant challenged him to a battle. His parents said no, that he could never marry a man, especially not a peasant. But the Prince was honor bound to fight any challenger._

 _"So they battled, and it was a close fight. The prince had never had as much fun battling before. He lost he had never been so happy to lose. The peasant married the prince, and they lived happily ever after."_

 _"Like you and daddy?"_

 _"Yes." His mom said. "One day Argent, you'll find a prince too."_

 _"Will he be strong?"_

 _"Of course."_

* * *

"Argent?"

Argent jerked forward, ripped from his memory. "Braedon."

Braedon put his hands on his hips. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or what?" he asked. "And don't give me any more Tauros shit excuses."

Argent looked up. "I'm fine." Argent muttered. "I just don't feel good. I think I'm sick-"

"That's it." Braedon snapped. "C'mon."

Braedon led Argent back to the Great Room where Amber and Austin waited. "Is there a battlefield here?" Braedon asked Austin.

Five minutes later, they were in the gardens, Argent and Braedon on opposite ends of the battle field.

"Why are we doing this?" Argent asked again.

"Because if I win, you tell me what's going on." Braedon said. "If you win, I drop it."

Austin put a hand on Argent's back and slipped something into Argent's palm. "Here," Austin said, "this is for you. It was supposed to be a surprise, but now is as good a time as any."

Argent held his hand up. It was a pokeball.

"Thanks." Argent said in a low voice.

"Don't mention it."

Argent threw the pokeball. In a flash of light, a red bug-like Pokemon appeared.

Argent pulled out his pokedex.

 _"Scizor, the Pincer Pokemon. This Pokémon's pincers, which contain steel, can crush any hard object it gets a hold of into bits. It's body is also steel. It intimidates foes by upraising its eye-patterned is not easily fazed by ordinary sorts of attacks. This Pokémon flaps its wings to regulate its body temperature. Moves Known: Bullet Punch, Sword's Dance, X-Scissor, and Iron Defense. Ability: Swarm."_

"You always wanted a Scizor." Austin said quietly.

Argent felt like crying. "You remember that?"

"Of course."

Braedon pulled out a pokeball. "Crawdaunt, go!"

Crawdaunt appeared on the field. "Craw!" she shrieked.

"Battle... Begin!"

"Crabhammer!"

"Bullet Punch!"

Crawdaunt rushed forward, his claw surrounded by water, and swung at Scizor, who's claws were glowing. The two Pokemon's claws met and both Pokemon struggled to over power the other.

"Close Range Scald!" Braedon yelled. The claw surrounded by water opened, and boiling water hit Scizor, causing him to stumble back.

"Now, Crabhammer again!" Braedon commanded.  
Crawdaunt rushed forward and swung, hitting Argent's new friend in the stomach. He flew backward, tumbling to the ground.

"Argent, you're not even trying!" Braedon yelled. "The Argent I know would have used Iron Defense to block that. What's going on?"

"X-Scissor!" Argent said resolutely.

Scizor flew forward and slashed repeatedly in an "X" pattern at Crawdaunt, who dodged each hit.

"Argent, you're better than this!" Braedon cried. "You can do better!"

"Please!" Amber said, her voice deep with emotion. "Tell us what's wrong."

Argent gritted his teeth. His eyes stung. "Nothing!" he snapped. "I! Am! Fine! Bullet Punch!"

"Dig!"

Scizor rushed forward and punched at Crawdaunt, who was flung back. She started digging and disappeared into the ground.

"I though we were friends!" Braedon growled.

"Well, you thought wrong." Argent said coldly. Braedon looked like he had been slapped.

"Argent..." Amber muttered. "You don't mean that."

"Scald!"

Suddenly, water erupted from the ground under Scizor. He was thrown into the air.

"Crabhammer!"

Crawdaunt swung it's claw like a baseball bat as soon as Scizor came down, knocking him across the field. He fell at Argent's feet. Argent returned him robotically.

Argent couldn't help it. He started walking.

"Argent, wait!"

Austin caught up to him. Putting a hand shoulder, he said "Argent, I know what this is about."

Argent didn't say anything.

"Argent, stop acting like I don't understand." Austin squeezed his shoulder. "I lost Mom and Dad too, remember?"

Argent felt his chest constrict. "How?"

"How what, Argent?"

"How did you deal with it?" Argent asked.

"I remembered the family I still had left." Austin said calmly. Argent looked at Amber, then at Braedon. Amber, who was so caring and kind and understanding. Braedon, who was so loose and liberated. They were both so fun to be around.

Like his mom.

Argent nodded, then walked back to Braedon and Amber.

"Argent-"

"My mom died today."

Amber and Braedon said nothing, waiting for him to continued.

"Six years ago. She was sick. And when she died, Dad changed. He became cold and distant and controlling and over protective all at once. It got worse when Rhodes and Austin moved out. And now he won't even talk to me - he changed his number- and I see you getting closer to your dad, Braedon- and Amber you have great parents- and it just feels like you guys have families and I- don't."

Argent didn't look up. He waited for the ground to swallow him whole.

Then two sets of arms wrapped around him .

"Argent, you jerk." Braedon muttered into his ear.

"We're your family." Amber said simply.

Argent couldn't help it. He cried.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Will Argent and his dad ever make up? Will Argent ever find a prince? Which Pokemon will they catch next? Find put next chapter!_**

 ** _For 100 reviews, I'm doing a celebratory Q &A! So ask me or any of the characters whatever you want, as much as you want! No limits at all! I have the right to ignore any questions I want, however. Just ask the questions in your review/comment!_**


	53. Bonus Chapter II

**Titan (the author of Pokemon Prodigies)** : Hi, and welcome to my first Q&A! Say hi everybody!

 **Amber:** Hey. Nice to meet you all!  
 **Braedon** : Hiya! Ooh, you're cute. Can I get your number?  
 **Argent** : No you may not. Hello, I'm Argent.  
 **Sapphire** : Hi, I guess. Do I have to do this?  
 **Olivia** : Hello readers!  
 **Rhodes** : Yo!  
 **Austin** : Hi! It's such an honor to be here!  
 **Ken** : Hello love!  
 **Titan** : So that's everyone? Good. Let's get this show on the road!

Q: (To Braedon and Argent) Do you like each other?

 **Braedon** : Well baby, do you like me?

 **Argent** : If you do not get your arm off my shoulders I will snap you in half.

Q: (To Amber) Do you think that your companions should get together?

 **Amber** : If they want to. I'll love them no matter what. (though if I'm not the best man at the wedding they're both dead to me)

 **Argent** : Excuse me?!

Q: How many chapters are planned for this book?

 **Titan** : Not sure! Originally 100+, but that sure isn't happening.

Q: (To Rhodes and Austin) What made you finally leave behind your dad?

 **Rhodes** : To be honest, I wanted to leave him since before our mom met him.

 **Austin** : Wow I actually agree with you. Hello apocalypse.

Q: (to Olivia) Do you have a partner?

 **Olivia** : Titan says that I'm not allowed to answer.

Q: Are their rivals going to make an appearance any time soon?

 **Titan** : Of course! The problem is finding the right time for them to show up. I have a plan for Olivia that keeps her away for the time being, I need to contact the girl who created Sapphire to see if I can reuse her, and Ken is appearing soon!

Q: (To The Prodigies) Worst Pokemon Type?

 **Amber** : Ooh, that's not a good question.

 **Braedon** : The first thing were taught in school is that due to the uniqueness of each pokemon and situation, no type is superior. But we do pics favorites. Mine's dark.

 **Argent** : I chose Steel, but I agree that no Pokemon type is inheretly better.

Q: What's something non Pokemon related you do for fun?

 **Amber** : You guys are going to tease me about this-

 **Braedon** : Never

 **Amber** : But hard work in general is so empowering and satisfying.

 **Braedon** : Oh my god that is the most Amber thing I've ever heard-

 **Argent** : Very in character

 **Amber** : I swear-

 **Braedon** : Sorry, sorry. Anyway, I like tricking others, being awesome, being sexy, and-

 **Argent** : Not to be rude but we don't have an entire decade. Oh, and I like to play stratgy games on my Holo.

 **Braedon** : he's like a pretentious MMORPG guy

 **Argent** : I resent that comment.

Q: Worst Pokemon?

 **Titan** : Okay I've been thinking hard about this question. Pokemon are basically sentient. They understand and have complex feelings. The think and theorize. They're people in almost every way. You wouldn't say "What race can you not stand?" or "What gender do you hate?" in the same token, saying, as a resident of the pokemon world, that one species of pokemon is better than the other is wrong. If you look at it as a real person talking about fictional people, that's fine. But I feel like the characters would say this.

Q: (to Sapphire) Can you battle?

 **Sapphire** : You want to find out?

Q: (to Rhodes) why are you so mean?

 **Rhodes** : Because people like you ask stupid questions like that.

Q: (to Braedon and Argent) When are you getting together?

 **Argent** : When Diglett fly.

 **Braedon** : When he drops this Tsundere act.

Q: (To Amber and Sapphire) Have you ever tried Pokemon Showcases?

 **Sapphire** : Ew.

 **Amber** : Sapphire! They look fun, but I don't have the talent for that. I can barely color coordinate my clothes, let alone make my own. Then the performing portion... Yeah, I wish.

 **Sapphire:** Still ew.

Q: (to Ken) Do you like Pokemon contests?

 **Ken** : I participated in a few in my youth. I much prefer watching them unfold, however. Maybe one day I could take Braedon there as a date.

 **Braedon** : No.

 **Argent** : No.

 **Ken** : As friends! They go on dates too, right?

* * *

And that's all folks! Thank you so much for supporting me all this time, and getting me this far. I love you all. Shout out to all of you who favorited and reviewed and followed this story. I don't know if you understand how happy it makes me to have your support and love.

Special Shout Outs:

Shout Out to JapaneseRockergirl, WyldClaw, Yskdragon, ButterflyPuss, and Legal-Eagle for being constant reviewers!

Shout Out to Aмετнуςτ on Quotev for being my beta for the first 15 chapters

And a very special Shout Out to Cameron (Booklover7's Backup on Quitev) for being a great beta for my other stories, encouraging me to stay with all my stories, and being my best friend. I love you man.

Until next time!

\- Titan (James Perez)


	54. Chapter 52: Friends pt II

Amber enjoyed mornings. Perhaps too much.

As a direct result of her ranch upbringing, she was used to waking up early, and often woke up before her friends. She used this time to catch up on her shoes or read and cook (read: buy) breakfast. By the time Argent and Braedon were awake, Amber had already been up for an hour.

"You okay?" she asked Argent quietly as we walked past her. He gave her a small smile that Amber took as weak confirmation.

"So, where to now?" Amber asked him between bites of her parfait. They were eating breakfast in the Pokemon center on Route 6, having left Camphier town yesterday after saying their goodbyes to Austin.

"Well, we have a few more stops before we arrive at the Pokemon League." Argent said quietly.

"Why there?" Braedon asked.

"If you would check your e-mail-"

"Argent, no one checks their e-mail anymore-"

"-you'd know that our deadline is in six weeks, on the first day of the Cyperus festival. If we succeed, they'll reward us at the festival."

The Cyperus Festival was the festival held every year to commemorate the end of the Pokemon League. Cyperus City being both the home to the Kalos Championship and their school, it was only fitting that their journey would end there.

"But we're only halfway done!" Braedon said desperately. "And Cyperus is only a few towns away!"

"Relax." Argent said. "Not only are we over halfway done, but we should run into all the Pokemon we need by then. I made a schedule for a reason, you know."

"Argent, I could kiss you." Braedon gushed.

"I feel honored." Argent deadpanned.

"As you should." Braedon replied, taking a bite of his sausage and egg biscuit. "So, we caught Gogoat and Skiddoo yesterday. Who's next?"

"Well," Argent said, leaning forward the way he did when he was about to talk their ears off, "we're about to enter Cedar Woods, which has _tons_ of Pokemon we need. Hawlucha, Malamar, Simipour, Simisear, Simisage, Pumpkaboo, Gourgeist, Ferroseed, and Ferrothorn."

"Sounds like fun." Amber said. "But we're on a time limit. How long do we have to catch these Pokemon if we want to stay on schedule?"

"A week." Argent said. "And it's about a day away from here, so less than a week."

"That's more than enough time." Braedon said confidently.

"So you think." Argent said. "But this forest has a reputation."

"That's not news, Argent." Amber said. "The last forest we went to nearly killed us. The first forest we went to, you nearly drowned. We don't have a good track record with forests."

"Or rivers." Braedon supplied. "Or beaches. Or routes. Or towns and cities. Or sewers. Or-"

"Yes, we get it." Argent said dourly. "I'm glad I'm surrounded by optimists."

Amber grinned. She was glad he felt good enough to tease them.

"As I was saying," Argent continued, "Cedar Woods has a history of bad luck."

"So like us." Amber said.

"Exactly." Argent said. "I don't believe in curses, but I do believe that something is causing the history of violence in the area."

"Explain." Braedon said.

"Of course, how can I say no with those manners?"

"All part of my charm, babe."

"Did you just call me babe? I will leave."

"Don't leave, sweetheart."

"You're repulsive."

As cute as this was, they didn't have time for it. "Guys, can we get on with it?" Amber said, the corners of her mouth twitching.

They both blushed, as if they were kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Amber pocketed this information for potential blackmail use later. "Sorry." Argent muttered. "Anyway, this forest has been through three wars, eleven battles, seventeen forest fires, and that's only in the last 200 years. The forest has a reputation for violence and bloodshed, and the Pokemon around are more aggressive than normal."

"And yet you still don't believe in curses?" Amber asked incredulously.

"No, I don't." Argent said. "Remember the Amphrosia? Their are thousands of plants that have similar effects on Pokemon. Rocks and chemicals too. One of those, or maybe a combination of them, could be the culprit."

"Or it's a curse from Yveltal itself." Braedon said.

"Isn't Xerneas the one who deals with forests?" Amber pointed out.

"Yeah, but Xerneas is supposed to be _nice_." Braedon said. "Yveltal is the Death Pokemon. You don't get that name for being a benevolent spirit."

"Actually, that theory holds water." Argent mused.

"It does?!" Amber gasped. "Alert the local newspaper, Braedon said something intelligent."

"Hey!"

"Not the part about the curses." Argent said. "But the part about Yveltal. Pokemon moves and abilities have been known to affect Pokemon and even humans' actions. Yveltal is protected by The Mythical Pokemon act, so it isn't allowed to be captured. That means not much is known about it... It could easily be the cause of this forest's woes."

"That would make a good research paper." Amber said. "For when we get back to school."

"And that brings me to my next announcement." Argent said. "As you know, I was home-schooled and only got into the Prodigy Program though one of my teachers who worked there, which technically makes me a student."

"Yeah?"

"So..." Argent bit his lip. "I'm growing rather tired of home school. And I doubt my father wants to teach me. But with my grades, I can easily get a scholarship to finish my last year at Cyperus-"

"Wait," Amber said. "You're coming to our school?"

"If you want me." Argent said.

"Of course we want you." Braedon said. "Amber's the only one who threatens my spot as top student at Cyperus. With you there, it won't be as boring."

"What he means to say," Amber said, "Is that we'd love to have you there."

"We can even bunk together!" Braedon squealed.

"I don't think they'll allow that..."

"MY dad donated a wing in the library." Braedon said, buzzing with excitement. "We're not only the top students, but also the Prodigies. If we wanted statues of ourselves made of ivory and gold, we could get them."

Amber smiled. She knew Braedon hated using his status to get special favors, so it meant a lot that he was saying that. They really had become a team.

"So it's settled." Amber said, putting her fist forward. "We finish the Prodigy Program, then return to school together!"

"And we destroy anyone who gets in our way." Braedon said, putting his fist in.

"Sounds like a plan." Argent said, rolling his eyes as he put in his fist.

And it was.

* * *

 ** _A/N: And so we reach the last leg of our Journey! Expect everything to get intense from here on out!_**

 **Sorry if this chapter was short and filler-y. I just felt like that was a good place to stop.**

 **Remember, leave your questions for me and the characters in the Reviews/Comments!**


	55. Chapter 53: Dissent

"Mar!" Malamar cried, flinging Tyrunt and Kecleon back with it's tentacles.

"Ty!"

"Kec!"

As they fell ground, Scizor rushed forward per Argent's command. It slashed in an X formation, hitting Malamar back.

Amber gritted her teeth. "Dammit! If it keeps using Superpower, it'll be too strong for us!"

"Then give it a chance to!" Braedon cried, quickly returning Kecleon and pulling out another Pokemon. "Go, Sableye! Shadow Claw! Don't let up!"

Amber did the same. "Swirlix, Play Rough! Barrage!"

Swirlix and Vivillon began to attack Malamar relentlessly, dodging tentacles and Psybeam attacks.

"If only we could disable it's ability..." Braedon said, "then Superpower would make it weaker instead of stronger."

"Wait!" Amber cried, pulling out a pokeball. "I got it! Tauros, Swagger!"

Tauros appeared and began to swish his tail. Malamar began to sway as if drunk.

"Now it's confused and weaker!" Amber cried.

"Yes, I can see that." Braedon said as Malarmar rammed into a tree.

"That means we have to make this quick," Argent yelled. "X-Scissor!"

"Play Rough!"

"Shadow Sneak!"

The three Pokemon rushed forward and hit the massive Malamar at once, knocking it into the ground.

Braedon pulled out a pokeball and pressed the button. Within seconds, Malamar was their's.

"Well, was annoying." Braedon complained.

"It would have been less annoying if _someone_ didn't use Scary Face." Argent muttered.

Braedon elbowed him. "Sorry, not all of us can be perfect like you, Argent." Braedon snarked.

Argent looked sideways at him. "Your sarcasm implies that I'm somehow imperfect."

"Preposterous."

Amber walked in silence, taking in her friends bickering/flirting with ease. When they first started their journey it was the bane of Amber's short existence. But now that it was more teasing than hostile, the petty arguments felt like home.

And now they would be her home. Argent was coming with them, and their adventure would continue. They would get stronger together, fight together, heck they would go to prom together. Nothing could stand in their way now.

* * *

Scarlett wondered why Mulan wanted to meet her in secret. Mulan _hated_ Scarlett. Scarlett would hate Mulan, if Mulan was significant enough to hate. That was the natural order of things. But Mulan had texted her on the private line that they needed to meet.

Scarlett walked down the spacious hallway to Mulan's room. Their base was as cliche as it gets- underground, with gray walls and floors, and to complete the look two repented walked by her carrying something covered and mysterious on a rolling table. As typical as it was, Scarlett could appreciate the aesthetic. Toned down, yet dangerous. Like Scarlett herself.

Mulan's room was decorated in posters of boy bands, athletes, and random inspirational quotes like "Perfection is unattainable, because I'm not looking for a boyfriend."or "I have more muscles in lady parts than you do in your whole body." The walls were a reddish brown color, the same as the hair of the boyfriend Mulan had when she last decorated (How Mulan found time to date and be The Head Priest's right-hand was beyond Scarlett).

"Scarlett, welcome. Come in and close the door." Mulan said coolly. Scarlett complied. "How are you?"

"Bored with hints of confusion and suspicion." Scarlett replied, examining a Makuhita bobble head on the dresser next to the door.

"Understandable." Mulan said. "You're probably wondering why I of all people would call you."

"That and why the Mienfoo poster has darts in it."

Mulan laughed. "Charlie gave it to me. Before he disappeared."

Scarlett rolled her eyes, remembering Mulan's cheating ex. Both girls knew that Charlie didn't just disappear. "Lovely." Scarlet said in her trademark blasé. "But we're not here to discuss boys who had the misfortune to look your way, are we?"

"Of Course not." Mulan said. "We're here to discuss Rios."

"Rios?"

"That got your attention." Mulan said, standing. "I've been doing a little digging-"

Scarlett raised one elegant eyebrow. "You? Research?"

"Why does everyone say that… Yes, I was researching." Mulan said impatiently. "And you'll never guess what I found."

"Do tell."

Mulan pulled out her Holocaster. "I was trying to find out who the traitor was, so I had one of the Repented who was good with computers get me into the criminal database." She said. "Personally, my money was on you. No one with contour that good could be innocent. But what I found… Look at this."

Mulan showed Scarlett her Holo. The hologram was of a Rios's criminal profile.

"And this means…" Scarlett mused.

"Well, do you know what happened to Rios when he went to jail a few months back?" Mulan asked. "After you tangled with the Prodigies?"

"I'm sure you're going to tell me." Scarlett replied.

Mulan grinned like she had just figured out the winning move in a battle. "Okay, then what happened to you the week you spent locked up?"

Scarlett shrugged. "A few scruples. Bad food. Oh, and a girl came on to me, but she reminded me of you so I of course vomited."

Mulan gave her a piercing look. "And..."

Scarlett tried to remember. It was a week of her life, and a terribly dull one at that. But then it came to her. "They offered me a deal." Scarlett remembered. "Information for a lighter sentence. I of course turned them down. I'd rather wear the ghastly prison orange than betray Alleos."

"Rios was offered the same deal." Mulan said in a voice that barely hid how smug she was.

Scarlett caught on automatically. "No." She said. "Rios would never-"

"I thought that too." Mulan said. "Okay, not really. But look at this."

Scarlett didn't want to look. She'd much rather gauge Mulan's eyes out with her 487 Rouge Fatal nails. But she looked anyway. Mulan's Holo was on a video, skipped toward the end.

The Holo showed Rios, crying. The usually handsome man was a hair was disheveled and clumpy. His normally flawless skin was red and blotchy from sobbing.

"' _I can't stay here…_ "He sobbed. " _Please! I need to go! I'll tell you everything! Please!'"_

Mulan switched her Holo off.

Scarlett felt sick. "That means nothing." Scarlett snarled. "Nothing at all! He was scared, and-"

"But the fact that Rios was attacked the day before does." Mulan said. "And Head Priest Gale gave the order to leave him in there for a week as punishment. That's motive."

Scarlett brushed a hair out of her eye. "But it's not proof."

"Maybe not." Mulan said with a smirk. "But when I do find proof, who else will go down with him? Perhaps his partner who also suffered the same fate?"

Scarlett slapped her.

Mulan fell onto her bed, holding her bleeding cheek. But she smiled still.

"I'm going to enjoy watching you two burn." Mulan said with a sharp laugh.

Scarlett stormed out before she killed the girl.

* * *

Joseph watched the screens with interest. Each one showed a different room in their base. Ten rooms, to be exact.

He had planted the cameras in all of their rooms to help find the traitor. But so far all the footage has been fruitless.

Until Scarlett entered Mulan's room. That gave him his first and second suspects. Rios and Scarlett.

Joseph was busy thinking about how great it would be if he caught the traitor, when he saw Arthur enter Cedar's room. He quickly and efficiently went through the drawers, the closet, and even under the bed.

Could Arthur be the traitor? Or was he looking for one just like Joseph?

Joseph had to be careful how he approached this. If he went up to Arthur accusing him of betrayal, Arthur would easily decimate him, or report him to Gale for spying, which would put suspicion on Joseph. Joseph couldn't really trust anyone, either. Anyone could be the traitor.

Joseph would have to do this himself. He would find the traitor, and expose them. Then he would beat them within an inch of their life for betraying Alleos.

* * *

"You wanted to see me, Archbishop?" Volterre signed grimly.

Masa giggled, covering her mouth. The Pachirisu on her shoulder giggled as well. "Don't talk with the door open, silly! The others might hear you."

Volterre had no idea how they would hear him, considering that he was using sign language, but he knew not to question Masa. He closed the door quietly.

"Now Volty, you've been very naughty." Masa said giddily.

"No I haven't…" Volterre signed, his hands shaking.

"Don't lie." Masa said. "That's bad. I wish I could hear your voice, so I could hear it shake. But sadly that's not possible."

She looked directly at her shelf, but Volterre kept his eyes on her. He didn't want to see it. He didn't need a reminder.

"You let a Impure Trainer go." Masa said. "That's a no-no."

"Masa, I-" He started to sign, but then Pachirisu jumped on his chest, knocking him to the ground.

"I can't believe you would betray us this way!" Masa said shrilly, stamping her foot. "Impure Pokemon are bad! Impure trainers need to be Purified! That's what Gale says! Don't you love Me? Her? Alleos?"

Volterre nodded.

"Then why did you betray us?" Masa asked, heartbroken. "Is it because you want to go to h-e-double-hockey-sticks?"

Volterre shook his head. Pachirisu bared her fangs.

"Are you sure?" Masa asked. He nodded again. "No! You're a liar! I have to show you what h-e-l-l feels like, so you don't want to go! Pachirisu!"

Volterre wished he could scream. But he couldn't. All he could do is cry as thousands of volts of electricity went through his body.

"You are good!" Masa yelled. "I made you a good guy! I don't want you to be bad!"

With each sentence, Pachirisu shocked him. Volterre kept wishing his heart would finally stop. But Masa was a professional. She knew when to quit.

"Stupid head!" She cried, balling her fists and looking like an overgrown kid throwing a tantrum. "You can't leave!"

The last thing Volterre saw was the jar on the shelf, a pink blob that once allowed speech inside. Then it all went black.


	56. Chapter 54: Forest Frenzy!

"Braedon, quit!" Amber said with a laugh. Argent couldn't help but laugh too. He felt warm and content, not just because of the campfire.

Braedon shoved another marshmallow in his mouth. "No way." He said, chewing. "You can't beat me!"

"This is juvenile." Argent said with a affectionate roll of his eyes.

"True," Amber said, pulling out her own bag of marshmallows, "But he must be beaten!"

Amber and Braedon began shoving Marshmallows in their mouths. The three of them were camping about a mile from Cedar Woods, ready to take on the forest in the morning. Since Argent had never had s'mores before, Amber and Braedon were adamant that he try some. But he might not get to if Amber and Braedon didn't stop. He hid his own supply of marshmallows.

"I'm gow ta be king ov marmellos!" Braedon guffawed.

"En ur drems!" Amber said as she shoved the sticky treat in her mouth.

"Will you two stop?" Argent said. "You're both being repulsive. And sticky."

Amber and Braedon grinned, then tackled Argent with their sticky hands, shoving marshmallows on his face. Argent screamed and managed to grab the chocolate sauce, spraying them both. Soon the trio was covered in chocolate and marshmallow. They had Crawdaunt spray them down, getting their clothes soaked. Now the three of them were drying by the fire in the warm fall night.

Amber had fallen asleep, her head resting on her snoozing Tauros.

"Ah!" Argent cried as he dropped yet another marshmallow in the fire.

Braedon laughed and sat beside him. "You have to rotate it." he said.

"I am!" Argent said exasperatedly. "That's why it's falling!" Argent readied another marshmallow, determined to get it right.

"Then you're going to fast." Braedon said.

"But if I don't go fast, then the sides will be uneven." Argent pointed out as he stuck the treat in the fire.

"Here, I'll help you. We can't have you messing up, we're limited on marshmallows."

"I wonder why…"

Braedon grinned, and wrapped his arm around Argent's waist.

"What are you-"

His hand moved on top of Argent's. His other hand followed.

"You have to be steady." Braedon said. "Not too fast or too slow. And don't shove it in the fire." He moved Argent's hands higher, and began to help him rotate it.

Argent held his breath. He had never really liked people touching him. Was that why he couldn't seem to breathe?

But he didn't try to pull away either.

Argent turned to say something, but his breath hitched when he realized that Braedon was so close. Argent could smell Braedon's cologne- something minty- and hints of chocolate and marshmallow from the fight. Argent laughed- he smelled like a desert.

Braedon turned his head. "What's so-" Braedon stopped, their noses almost touching. He didn't seem to be breathing either. He leaned forward.

His eyes were so blue, like the waters of Aquacorde town. Back then, Argent and Braedon weren't friends. Now they were... Were…

 _They were kissing._

It ended as soon as it began, even though Argent knew it had to have lasted longer than a few seconds. Argent licked his lips, tasting chocolate and sweetness and something else entirely.

They just stared at each other for a long time, then Braedon looked down.

"I'm sorry- I-" he choked.

Argent didn't want to hear it. It was his worst fear, and Argent didn't want to hear it. So he pushed their lips together, and Braedon eagerly responded. It was messy and terrifying and exciting all at once. Argent wasn't sure what he was doing, but he kept doing it.

For the first time, Argent didn't think about the future. He didn't care about tomorrow, because _right now_ was so beautiful-

"Argent!"

Argent opened his eyes. He was in his tent, Amber standing above him.

"We have to go." She said. "Hurry up and get dressed."

Argent nodded dumbly as she left, before pulling of the covers and getting dressed.

 _It was just a dream._

 _We fought and had s'mores last night, but Braedon and I never kissed._

 _But I want it to be real._

 _I need a plan._

* * *

Cedar Woods certainly didn't look like the previous site of several bloodbaths. The entrance to the Forest was a quaint path. The ground held odd flowers. Amber knew they must not need much sunlight, because the trees blocked most of the light, creating a permanent shade. Amber also knew that once night fell, it would be pitch black. But in the day, it looked serene.

But then why was Amber getting a chill?

"Everyone ready?" Argent asked. Even he sounded apprehensive. He shared a worried look with Braedon, who smiled weakly at him.

"No," Amber answered, "But by the time we're ready, the program will be over. Let's go."

Amber heard Braedon sigh. "I hate when you're right." he muttered.

Amber grabbed Braedon and Argent's hands, and they entered the forest together.

The forest was much denser than any they had entered before, that was certain. Even Cedar's forest wasn't as closely packed together. There seemed to be no room to walk besides the path. It was also eerily quiet. Amber wasn't used to quiet, at least not lately. One of the quirks of a journey was how rancorous it was. But this forest...We're they the only living things inside?

No, that was ridiculous. This forest was teeming with Pokemon. But where were they?

Then, as if responding to her thoughts, Amber heard a buzzing sound. She let go of her companions and grabbed a pokeball.

"Ty!" Tyrunt cried as it appeared in front of her. But only seconds after, something collided with it.

"Ferro!"

Grappling with Tyrunt was a metal pokemon with spikes all over it's body. Three black stripes circled its width, the middle stripe having triangular decorations below the eyes of Ferrothorn. Its eyes were green and yellow. There was a green spike at the top of its body, and extending around it were vine-like, long green appendages tipped with spiky metal disks.

"Ferro!" It cried, knocking Tyrunt back.

"Stone Edge Cage!" Amber yelled.

Tyrunt stomp it's foot and a circle of jagged rock pillars surrounded Ferrothorn, all pointed inward like a cone. Ferrothorn couldn't get out.

"Ferrothorn!" It cried as the rocks exploded around it. One sailed toward Braedon, but he ducked.

Or maybe it can get out.

"Ferro!" Ferrothorn yelled, planting it's three appendages in the ground and hanging in the air.

"That's how it attacks!" Argent warned.

"Ferro!" It yelled as it shot spikes at them. Tyrunt jumped forward and the spikes hit him head on, bouncing off his rough skin.

"Thanks!" Amber told it. She looked at her friends. "What are you waiting for? Bring out Pokemon!"

Braedon and Argent grabbed pokeballs.

"Talonflame!"

"Pangoro!"

Both Pokemon appeared in a flash of light. Ferrothorn didn't seemed phased. On the contrary, it looked livid. It shot a volley of seeds at them.

"Talonflame, Razorwind!" Argent yelled. Talonflame began to flap it wings, creating a wind as sharp as swords that collided with the seeds. They exploded, knocking their pokemon back.

"Argent!" Braedon yelled. "That was Seed Bomb, you idiot!"

Argent glared at him. "Well, I reacted instinctively!"

"Guys!" Amber yelled. "Focus!"

They faced Ferrothorn. "Dragon Pulse!" Amber yelled.

"Fire Blast!"

Tyrunt opened its jaw and shot a beam of green energy at Ferrothorn. Talonflame created a symbol made of fire that also headed toward Ferrothorn.

"Thorn!" It cried as the attacks hit, knocking it into the trees.

Amber looked at it. It was knocked out, so she threw a pokeball and caught it.

Back with the boys, they were arguing.

"You could have let me help!"

"You should have attacked faster!"

"Pangoro doesn't have long distance attacks! If she had attacked, she would have got hit by Dragon Pulse and Fire Blast!"

"Why would you bring out a Pokemon who punches to fight a Pokemon covered in spikes?"

"Because she has a type advantage!"

Amber pushed them apart. "Guys, stop! We won. Braedon, there will be plenty of Pokemon to fight."

Braedon nodded. "Yeah. Sorry dude. I didn't mean to shout."

"Nor did I. I apologize."

Amber grinned. "Now that we're all good, let's hurry up and get out of here."

"Agreed." Braedon and Argent said together, and the three of them started walking in companionable silence.

That lasted all of five minutes before a group of Ferroseed erupted from the ground, ornery and shooting spikes. After dealing with them and catching one, then came three Pumpkaboo and a Gourgeist. Then more Ferroseed. Then a wild Ursaring. Then they ran into a hive of Beedrill. Every few minutes they were attacked by some kind of Pokemon, each more vicious and annoying than the last. Their nerves became taut, and trivial bickering ensued. Even Amber fell prey to the arguments. Finally, they were forced to recall their Pokemon and use an emergency Repel to allow them to recuperate.

"This whole thing was a bad idea." Braedon said angrily, glaring at Argent. He sat down and rubbed his knee, which he banged against a tree a few minutes ago. "We should have went around this forest."

"And forfeited the Prodigy Program?" Argent snapped, leaning against a tree. "That idea is so much better."

"Will you two shut up?" Amber snapped. "I'm trying to rest before the Repel wears off and we're attacked again."

"You've had plenty of rest watching me do all the work." Argent said fiercely.

"You? Do work?" Amber said pettily. "There's a laugh."

"Now who won't shut up." Braedon pointed out smugly.

"Like you have room to talk." Amber snapped, standing up. "Whatever. I'm not getting any relaxing. Let's go."

"Since when do you boss us around?" Braedon demanded.

"I'm not done resting." Argent said.

"You two are impossible." Amber snapped. "Get up!"

"No!"

Amber snarled. They both glared back at her. Their irises were red, but Amber couldn't find it in her to notice.

"Get up or I'll make you." Amber said quietly as she slipped a pokeball into her hand.

Braedon stood up. "Like you could. Argent, maybe." he pulled out a pokeball from his belt

"Speak for yourself." Argent said, pulling out a Pokeball as well.

"Vivillon!"

"Sableye!"

"Scizor!"


	57. Chapter 55: Amber vs Braedon vs Argent!

Amber couldn't remember being so angry before in her life. She wanted to hurt Braedon and Argent. Badly.

"Mega Struggle Bug!" Amber shrieked, her body shaking. Vivillon shot an army of small tendrils at Sableye and Scizor.

"Dodge!" Braedon and Argent cried out in unison. Scizor and Sableye jumped out of the attack's range.

"Shadow Sneak!" Braedon commanded. Sableye melted into a black shadow and sped toward Scizor.

"X-Scissor!" Argent called out. Sableye dodged to the left as Scizor cut at the ground in an X formation. Sableye jumped at Scizor and clawed him.

Scizor blocked the attack with his own claws, then pushed Sableye back.

"Bug Buzz!" Amber raged. The two grappling Pokemon fell to the ground as Vivilon began to buzz. They both held their ears.

"Now, Struggle Launcher!" Amber yelled. Vivillon shot a giant tendril of energy at them both, and it exploded, knocking them both into the air.

"Sableye, don't let her get away with that!" Braedon cried, his fists balled. "Shadow Sneak!"

Sableye caught a tree branch mid flight, the became a shadow and jumped from the branch to Vivillon, wrapping around her and causing her to plummet.

"Don't forget me!" Argent snarled. "Bullet Punch!"

Scizor rushed forward and began to wail on the fallen Vivillon. Sableye slithered away, then retook his form, breathing heavily. He then jumped on Scizor's back and began to claw at Scizor.

"Vivillon, Silver Wind!"

Vivillon flew up and began to flap her wings, blowing both Sableye and Scizor back. Scizor flew up to meet vivillon, while Sableye collided with a tree.

"Struggle Bug!" Amber cried, her heart threatening to tear out her chest.

Vivillon began to vibrate as tendrils of green energy formed and shot at Scizor.

"X-Scissor!"

Scizor began to slash the tiny green projectiles into pieces.

Suddenly, a black shadow came out of no where and knocked them both out of the sky. The three fell to the ground, and began to grapple, trainers be damned.

"You two are so stupid!" Braedon growled.

"Which is why my grades have always been better than yours." Amber snapped.

"That is such a lie-"

"How would you know?" Amber snarled. "How could you see me when I was always in your shadow?"

"That's because you were too shy to be anywhere else!" Braedon said furiously. "Just once you could have stood up for yourself. Instead I had to. You're a spineless coward!"

"What about when I stood up to you?!" Amber retorted. "'Don't do that Braedon, you'll get us in trouble!' Did you ever listen? No!"

"Like the both of you listened to me, ever?" Argent interjected. "I always try to keep us in line, and none of you listen!"

"Why should we listen to you?" Braedon fired back. "All you do is try to have order. Before us, you never had fun!"

"Before you, I had a father!" Argent screamed.

"One who hated you!" Braedon said angrily.

"Look who's talking." Argent snarked. "Has your father found you any nice boys recently?"

Amber laughed cruelly.

"Why are you laughing?" Argent snapped. "You're parents think you're some good little farm girl. They don't even know the real you! Face it Amber, you're still a coward! You're just hiding in plain sight now."

Amber had it. "Silver Wind!" Amber seethed. Vivillon flapped her wings furiously, creating a gust of silvery wind that pelted Scizor and Sableye.

"Sableye, slow her down!" Braedon yelled desperately. "Scary Face!"

"Safeguard!"

A barrier went around Amber and Vivillon, and amber suddenly felt tired. The anger drained out of her.

Everything fell into place instantly for her. _Safeguard blocks the effects of status moves... This forest... Was making us..._

"Stop!" Amber yelled.

"Don't try to be all high and mighty with us!" Braedon snapped.

"No!" Amber said urgently. "Don't you see? We're not doing this! It's the forest! We shouldn't be fighting!"

Braedon snarled at her. His eyes were the color of blood. "No, it isn't. I've always hated you."

"Same here." Argent said. "Because of you two, I lost my father and my life."

Amber shook her head. "No! You chose to leave you're father! Because we're your family now! Argent, we've been through so much together! You too Braedon!"

"You're-"

"Your best friend." Amber interrupted. "We've been through so much. All those run ins with the Church... Catching all those Pokemon... Being idiots together... We're best friends!"

Amber turned to Braedon. She looked him straight in the eye. "Remember when we met? I was being bullied and you stood up for me. You couldn't figure out why I couldn't talk, so you thought something was wrong with me and took me to the nurse. Remember?"

She looked at Argent. "Remember when we decided to help you fight off Rhodes? That was the first real smile I'd ever seen on you. Then after that you began warming up to us..."

She wiped her eyes, looking between them. Their faces were blank and hard. "Don't you remember?" Amber said. "How about all the teasing and flirting you two do? The jokes we all share? The battles we do together? Something! Anything?"

Amber was crying now. These two were her family. They couldn't just forget that. She wouldn't let them.

Then, a ball of fire shot at her. She screamed as it knocked Vivillon out of the sky and shot toward her.

"Iron Defense!"

Amber looked up. Scizor was standing above her, taking the brunt of the fire.

"Now! Shadow Sneak!"

Sableye zoomed forward, into the trees. It got knocked back, and landed on it's feet.

Scizor fainted, falling in front of Amber.

"Thank you so much." She told him.

Argent and Braedon ran and embraced her.

"I'm sorry." They all said at once, then laughed together.

"I don't mind being in you're shadow." Amber choked out. "Especially since you always tried to drag me into the light."

"And I'm sorry if I got us into trouble." Braedon said. "I just wanted to defend you."

"I'm so sorry." Argent croaked, wiping his eyes. "I don't resent either of you. I chose to leave my father, and it was the right choice. And I never would have been strong enough if it weren't for you two lending me your courage. Braedon, Amber, your parents do love you. And it's so brave of you to be yourselves despite what they expect of you."

"The same to you." Braedon whimpered, rubbing his eyes. "And I love the way you plan everything. It's adorable."

"Agreed." Amber said.

"Semi!"

The three of them broke their embrace and turned. Emerging from the forest was Semisear, Semisage, and Semipour.

"That's who attacked you." Braedon said in a throaty voice from crying. But he was smiling now.

Argent mirrored the smile. "Let's teach them a lesson."

"Together." Amber said. They each returned their Pokemon and pulled out a pokeball.

"Tauros!"

"Kecleon!"

"Kleki!"

The three appeared in a flash of light.

Semisage, Semipour, and Semisear began to glow. Suddenly, the ground began to shake.

Under Tauros, a column of fire erupted. Under Klefki, a mass of vines. Under Kecleon, a geyser of water. all three of them cried out as they were thrown into the air.

They fell to the ground, barely standing.

"That was the three pledges!" Argent said, "a combination attack that gets stronger when used together!"

"Then let's show them our combination!" Amber yelled.

"I like the sound of that!" Braedon cried.

"Metal Sound Klefki!" Argent yelled.

Klefki began to vibrate. A sound wave spread through the air, causing their opponents to cover their ears.

"Now! Bind, Kecleon!" Braedon yelled.

Kecleon's tongue shot out and wrapped around the three Pokemon, tying them together.

"Now! Giga Impact!" Amber cried.

Tauros began to shine with a bright white light. He rushed forward and rammed into the three Pokemon right as Kecleon released his grip, knocking the three of them across the path. They fell in a graceless arc, and didn't rise.

They quickly caught the trio in pokeballs, then pocketed the balls.

"Now let's get out of here." Amber told her friends. They nodded and shared smiles.


	58. Chapter 56: Prodigies vs The Rivals!

Santalune City hadn't really changed since they had last been there. It was charmingly rustic yet still immaculate. People were more sparse than the crowded cities of Lumoise and Cyllage, but it wasn't underpopulated either.

Amber, however, remembered more people around. Where were they?

"It says here that there's a festival going on right now." Argent said when she voiced her concern (rule of thumb: have a question, ask Argent). "And a tournament."

Amber's eyes lit up. "A tournament? Can we go?"

"Yeah!" Braedon exclaimed. "It sounds awesome. And think of all the cute Pokemon trainers... I love a man who can beat me in battle."

For some reason, this bothered Argent. _Gee, wonder why?_ Amber thought.

"I don't know if we have time-" Argent started, but Braedon didn't let him finish.

"You said we had extra time!" Braedon insisted.

"For emergencies." Argent pointed out. "Like, if we get lost in Victory Cave or get hurt."

"But we deserve a vacation!" Braedon argued. "And one just fell in our lap!"

"He's not wrong." Amber said. "We nearly died yesterday."

"Yes, but we do that every week." Argent said impatiently. "We don't have the time to take a vacation after every single life threatening event."

"You drain the fun out of everything." Braedon pouted. "Fun drainer."

"Once again, Braedon demonstrates his sparkling wit and charm. Watch out boys." Argent rolled his eyes with a smile.

Amber could see him cracking. They just needed a little push...

"Braedon, darling!"

Amber looked behind her, then immediately thought _not that kind of push. That's the wrong direction._

Running toward them, dressed in a suit and tie despite the heat, was Ken Ao.

"I was hoping you would be here!" Ken said, brushing a hand through his windswept hair.

Braedon smiled, ignoring the fact that Argent was practically choking, and fixed Ken's tie. "How are you stud?"

"Wonderful!" Ken said brightly. "This city is so small and quaint and charming and tiny- but I'm being redundant! It's just that everything is so beautiful here- the foods, the divine art, the ravishing boys- not that I was looking! My eyes are only for you, Braedon!"

Braedon laughed and hugged him. "That's not something friends say to each other."

Ken smiled his thousand kilowatt smile. "Then maybe our friendship is unique, eh?"

Argent finally found his words. Thank Arceus, because Amber was ready to give him the Heimlich maneuver. "Ken. So nice to see you."

"Ah, you too, Argent!" Ken exclaimed joyously. "How I missed all of you!"

"We missed you too." Amber said.

"Ah, the lovely Amber." Ken said, lifting her hand and kissing it. Amber had to admit, she had always wanted someone to do that. "Keeping these boys in line, right?"

"Someone has to." She said.

Argent cleared his throat. "As fun as this was, we have to go. The Prodigy Program is coming to an end, you know."

"You're not staying for the Santalune Tournament?" Ken asked with a dramatic flourish. "Argent, you wound me."

"You're in the tournament?" Amber asked.

"Of course!"

"Then we're definitely staying." Braedon said, putting an arm around Ken and hugging him close. "I'd love to battle you again."

"But-"

Ken blushed. "As they say, love and war go hand in hand!"

"You bet buddy."

Amber giggled as Argent silently fumed. Hopefully this would kick his butt into gear.

Ken led them to town square, which was where all the town folks had apparently been hiding. A troupe of dancing people and Pokemon twirled around the santalune fountain, a rainbow of mist floating around them. Vendors sold toys, battle items, games, novelties, drinks, food, and-

"Candy!" Amber rushed over to the stand, bumping into a girl. They both fell together, Amber landing on the girl.

"Oh my- I'm so sorry!" Amber gasped. "I didn't mean-"

"Amber?"

Amber looked at the girl, directly into her azure eyes.

"Sapphire?"

Amber scrambled to her feet, blushing. "Wow, Sapphire, I didn't know you were here-"

"Me either- I mean you, I knew I was here-"

Both of them laughed as their words got tangled together.

Amber bit her lip and awkwardly held out her hand. "Uh... Nice to see you?"

Sapphire took her hand in her strong grip. "You too. Especially since I can now beat you in the Tournament!"

"How do you know I'm entering?" Amber asked.

"Because if you don't, I'll make you!" Sapphire growled, squeezing Amber's hand. "We're rivals. We need to see who's stronger!"

Amber smirked and squeezed back. "No we don't. Because I am." She grunted.

"Hey amber, what are you- Sapphire!"

The boys had caught up with her. Sapphire released Amber's hand (which actually ached) and shrugged at him. "Hey Braedon, Argent, and- um-"

"Ken Ao!" Ken exclaimed. "Of the Ao clan! Heir to Ao Aerodynamics!"

"Uh... Good for you?" Sapphire looked at amber in panic. Amber just smirked evilly, causing Sapphire to glare back.

"Yes, it is!" Ken said happily. "Thank you for noticing!"

He kissed her cheek, and she blanched. "Please don't do that again."

"Why not?" Ken asked earnestly.

"It's creepy." Sapphire insisted.

Ken looked positively hurt. "Alas! You wound me! Never in my life have I been called creepy!"

"Well, everything must happen once." Argent said dryly.

Ken laughed. "Very true, Argent! How nice of you to say so!"

"I didn't mean-"

Suddenly, a loud voice echoed though the fair grounds.

"Attention all trainers Level 5 and up, registration for the tournament is starting now. Please report to the nearest Pokemon Center to register."

"Wait, we're still Level 3." Amber said. "We can't enter."

"I'm sure with our battle experience, we've Surpassed 3." Braedon said. "We just need to update our Trainer Cards."

"And registration is at the center." Argent said. "We can just update them and register all at once."

The five of them made their way to the center, talking and catching up. Even Argent and Sapphire warmed up a little, and they were all laughing by the time they got there.

That laughter died once they entered the center. The line was longer than Braedon's list of crushes, and they had to wait an hour just to get to the front desk. Then the Nurse Joy looked almost livid when they all said they wanted to update their Trainer cards as well as register. By the time they got out, the tournament had started.

"Don't worry, their just doing the qualifiers." Ken assured them. "We can still register as long as it's before five."

"Cool!" Braedon said. "And now that I'm Level 6, I can whoop your butts!"

"Braedon," Argent said, "We're all Level 6."

Braedon shrugged. "Yes, but my 6 is higher."

"Once again you shock me with your wonderful brain capacity." Argent said sardonically.

"No, my 6 is a 6.5, while your 6 is more of a 6.0"

"Braedon, I can feel my brain decaying. Please stop."

Braedon spit out his tongue, then the two began to bicker. Amber noticed Ken staring at the two intently.

"You two go ahead!" Ken said. "We will catch up! I want to show Amber and Sapphire something."

Argent and Braedon just kept walking, still bickering. The second they were out of earshot, Ken rounded on Amber.

"Are they in love?" Ken demanded.

Amber took a step back. "Uh... You won't like the answer..."

Sapphire rubbed her temples. "Of course they are! It's so obvious. And disgusting." Amber elbowed her, and she scowled back. "What? He deserves to know."

Ken bowed his head.

"Ken, I'm so sorry, I- wait, are you praying?"

"Sorry?" Ken said once he lifted his head. "I was just asking Arceus to bless their courtship. It's tradition in the Arolite faith-"

"You're okay with it?"

"Okay?" Ken's eyes sparkled. "Amber, I am ecstatic! Yes, I would like Braedon, but if Argent makes him happy, then that's love! Love is one of the most beautiful things in existence! Wonderful, magical, sparkling- Miss Sapphire, are you alright?"

Amber glared at the girl, who was melodramatically gagging. "She's fine. But you're really okay?"

"I'm okay too, thanks for asking."

"Quiet you." Amber shushed her. "Anyway, is that all?"

Ken shook his head. "No. I have one more question. Namely, why are they not together yet?"

Sapphire laughed. "Those too? They wouldn't know love if it crawled up their-"

Amber elbowed her again.

"Ow! Stop doing that!"

"They are a little... Dense." Amber said.

"A little?" Sapphire scoffed. Amber raised her elbow threateningly. Sapphire backed up a step.

"Hmm! Then we must help them!" Ken declared. "If they can not further their love, we will be the push they need!

"Okay, but how?" Sapphire wondered.

"We need a game plan." Amber said determinedly. Was it wrong that she was having fun? "Ken, you need to turn up the flirting. Make Argent jealous. And desperate. I'll confront them both when the time is right, giving them another push. Sapphire, you... Um..."

Sapphire tapped her foot impatiently.

"Don't look at me lime that! I don't have any jobs for you!" Amber said. "You'll live."

"I feel so loved."

Amber sighed. "Anyway, that's the plan. Go team?"

Ken clapped his hands. "This is so exciting!"

Amber couldn't help but agree.

* * *

"Argent, they're called _imaginary numbers_ for a reason."

"Braedon, whether those numbers exist is a highly debated topic."

"But it's math. You can't debate in math."

"Braedon- wait, where is everyone?" Argent looked around. "Did they leave?"

"Something about food, I think." Braedon said in a confused tone. "Maybe not though. Oh well. C'mon, lets go see the action!" Braedon grabbed Argent's hand and pulled him along. Argent blushed. His hand was warm, like it had been in Argent's dream.

They weaved their way through the crowds, finally getting through the sea of people to the edge of the battle field. The tournament was being held at the Battle Maison in Santalune, a large building with acres of battlefields in the backyard.

"Bone Rush!"

Braedon and Argent shared a look. "That's not-"

"It can't be-"

"And the winner is Rhodes Lancaster!"

Rhodes grinned, his eyes sweeping the crowd. They finally landed on Argent.

"Broski!" he yelled, waving.

Argent groaned. This was going to be a long tournament.

* * *

"So your Braedon's husband?" Rhodes asked Ken. The six of them were at a table in the Battle Maison, waiting to be called for their qualification battle. "Wow. How'd you manage to tame him?"

Braedon cleared his throat before Ken could answer. "We were supposed to be betrothed," Braedon clarified, "but now we're _just friends."_

"Like with benefits?" Rhodes asked with a lewd wink.

"No way." Braedon said in an irritated voice.

Ken looked hurt. "But being my friend has many benefits!"

"Oh sweet, innocent child." Rhodes smirked at Ken's confused glance. "Anyway, what about you?' he gestured to Sapphire before slinging an arm around her. "What's a sweet girl like you doing with this crowd of delinquents?"

Sapphire rolled her eyes. "Move your arm or I'm going to rip it off. With my teeth."

Rhodes cackled and put his arm to his side. "Now I see why. Fiesty, aren't you?"

Sapphire looked uncomfortable, so Amber took that as her queue to jump in. "She's my rival." Amber said, directing his attention away from the poor girl. "So we're entering to beat each other."

"I'd love to see a shrinking violet like you in a battle." Rhodes said with hungry eyes. "You know what they say- it's always the quiet ones."

Amber balled her fists under the table. "And what does that make loud mouths like you?"

Braedon whistled, Argent raised an impressed eyebrow, and Sapphire unsuccessfully hid her giggles with her hand.

"Touché." Rhodes said. "But I'll have you know I'm more than adequate. You saw me beat Argent, after all."

"She saw us tie." Argent interjected. "And I'm stronger than I was then."

"Me too." Rhodes said with a grin. "Wanna see who's better?"

Argent pursed his lips and said nothing. Perhaps he was holding back. "I'll let the tournament decide." he said finally.

"Cool beans." Rhodes said with a nod. "So, everyone at this table is entering? And The girls are rivals?"

"Sounds about right." Braedon muttered.

"Then I think it's obvious what should happen."

"Not that obvious," Ken said. "Please tell me."

"Well," Rhodes said, "since wallflower and feisty-pants are rivals, we should all pair up too. That makes me Argent's rival, and Ken gets Braedon."

Ken clapped his hands together. "Yay! A love rivalry!"

Braedon coughed.

"A _friendly_ rivalry, I meant to say." Ken corrected. "One tinged with fiery passion and cold determination!"

"Meanwhile our rivalry is all about brotherly bonding." Rhodes said with a wink to Argent.

Despite Rhodes's presence, Amber was getting pumped. "Well, you three better be prepared, because you're going up against the three Prodigies!" she declared.

"We've fought too many powerful Pokemon to be defeated by the likes of you." Braedon said with a grin.

"This should be interesting." Argent mused.

"More like fun!" Ken exclaimed.

"All I care about is crushing Amber." Sapphire said with a smirk. Amber grinned back.

"Then it's settled." Rhodes declared. "This is the start of a six way rivalry!"


	59. Chapter 57: Round 1 - Psychic Dragon!

_"Hello and welcome to the 15th annual Santalune Tournament! I am your host, Zechariah Bonding, otherwise known as Mr. Bonding! Today, 32 trainers will battle it out for a spot in round 2. But this is no ordinary Tournament! Each Round will have a different theme, ensuring that the fights are each unique and exhilarating! The rules to this round are simple. It's a triple battle! Each Trainer will select three Pokemon and fight. First trainer to knock out all of their opponent's Pokemon wins!_

 _"And now, ladies and gentlemen, here are our first contestants! Hailing from Sandalwood Town, this lovely lady in yellow is Amber Dupont! Her challenger? The fierce and focused Leeland James, all the way from Castelia City in Unova!"_

Amber stood across the field from Leeland. He looked about the same age as her, if a little older, and had dark skin and eyes. He was easily skinnier than her, and his even from this far Amber could see his jittery hands and how he was averting his eyes. And his command bracelet.

 _He's mute._ Amber realized. Amber had learned about the Command Bracelets in school, when she met a deaf kid in her class. The bracelets could be programmed to say anything typed into them, such as Pokemon attacks and standard commands like "Dodge" and "Fly up".

 _"This will be a one-on-one battle, Maison rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to the owner of the lowest Level Pokemon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"_

Amber grabbed three Pokeballs. "Tyrunt, Golett, Tauros!"

The three pokemon opened in midair and her Pokemon appeared on her side of the field. Tauros snorted and pawed the ground, glaring at Leeland. Tyrunt snarled and barred his fangs. Golett, however, hid behind Tauros.

"You can do it Golett!" Amber cheered. "The most important thing to do is have fun! And look into the crowd!"

Golett looked up. In the stands, Braedon and Argent held up a sign with a crudely drawn picture of Golett using Hammer Arm. They had drawn it to encourage Golett during the battle.

"Lett!" Golett smiled and walked to stand between Tauros and Tyrunt, who looked at Golett and nodded.

Leeland threw three pokeballs, and in a flash of light, three ground types appeared.

The first was a mustard color, with brown spikes going across it's back. Next was a gray Pokemon balancing on it's tail, which ended with a stinger. The third was a Pokemon with large ears like muscular arms.

Amber scanned each of them with her Pokedex as Leeland scanned her Pokemon.

 _"Sandslash, The Spike Pokemon. Sandslash's body is covered by tough spikes, which are hardened sections of its hide. Once a year, the old spikes fall, to be replaced with new spikes that grow out from beneath the old ones. Sandslash can roll up its body as if it were a ball covered with large spikes. In battle, this Pokémon will try to make the foe flinch by jabbing it with its spines. It then leaps at the stunned foe to tear with its sharp claws. This Sandslash is Female. Moves Known: Sandstorm, Slash, Dig, and Rollout. Ability: Sand Rush."_

 _"Gliscor, The Fang Pokemon. It observes prey while hanging inverted from branches. When the chance presents itself, it swoops! Its flight is soundless. It uses its lengthy tail to carry off its prey... Then its elongated fangs do the rest. This Gliscor is Female. Moves Known: Dig, Fire Fang, Sandstorm, and Ice Fang. Ability: Sand Veil."_

 _"Diggersby, The Digging Pokemon. With their powerful ears, they can heft boulders of a ton or more with ease. They can be a big help at construction sites. As powerful as an excavator, its ears can reduce dense bedrock to rubble. When it's finished digging, it lounges lazily. This Diggersby is Male. Moves Known: Hammer Arm, Sandstorm, Ice Punch, and Mud Bomb. Ability: Huge Power."_

"And let the match begin!"

Leeland pressed a button on his wrist. Amber an electronic voice yell "Dig!"

All three Pokemon dove into the ground almost seamlessly, digging so fast their movements were blurred.

"Watch out guys!" Amber called. "They could pop out anywhere!"

Suddenly, the ground began to shake below the three of them.

"Jump!" Amber cried. "Get out of the way!"

But they weren't fast enough. The ground erupted with a cyclone of sand. Soon the sand vortex was throwing Amber's Pokemon around.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, that's the biggest sandstorm I've ever seen!"_ The announcer declared.

 _He's using the sandy battlefield and all three of their powers to create that sandstorm._ Amber thought. _He's smart._

"Golett, Gravity!" Amber yelled.

Golett began to glow with a pink aura. All the Pokemon were thrown to the ground outside the sandstorm.

"Ice Fang! Slash! Mud Bomb." Leeland commanded.

Gliscor flew at Golett, who dodged right as Gliscor chomped with her icy fangs. Sandslash slashed at Tauros, who took the hit head on. Diggersby shot balls of mud at Tyrunt, who countered with a beam of green energy that collided with the dirt, causing an explosion.

"They're trying to knock you guys back into the sandstorm!" Amber realized.

Leeland grinned at her despite his earlier nerves. "Crunch, Hamner Arm, Rollout."

"Circle Throw, Strength, Zen Headbutt!" Amber hollered.

Golett grabbed Gliscor in midair and windmilled their arm before launching her into the air. Tyrunt grew four feet and rammed into Diggersby's arm, and the two pushed against each other for dominance. Tauros collided with Sandslash, and both pokemon were thrown back.

Tauros slipped, and the slipstream sucked him back into the Sandstorm.

"Tauros!" Amber gasped. He was soon flung from the cyclone into the ground, unconscious. Amber returned him as Sandslash got up and rolled into a ball again, rolling toward Golett and knocking them back. The slipstream began to suck in Golett too.

"Golett, Gravity again!" Amber shouted. Golett began to glow once more as it became attached to the ground.

"Ice Fang. Rollout."

Sandslash rolled into a spiked ball, and Gliscor's teeth became icy blue. They both rushed at Golett, who panicked and put their arms up to protect themselves.

"Iron Defense!" Amber shouted. Golett's body became coated in steel and the two Pokemon bounced off harmlessly.

Meanwhile, Tyrunt was still struggling to overpower Diggersby. The two pushed against each other.

"Close Range Dragon Pulse!" Amber commanded.

Tyrunt opened his jaw, and shot a beam of brilliant green light directly at Diggersby. Diggersby was thrown back by yards and passed out.

"Now, finish them!" Amber yelled. "Like we practiced, Psychic Dragon!"

Golett's eyes began to glow. Tyrunt released a beam of energy, that stopped and began to form into a ball in front of Tyrunt. It turned blue. The energy formed into a dragon head, surrounding Tyrunt, who rushed forward and rammed into both Gliscor and Sandslash. The attack caused an explosion of smoke and blue light.

 _"What was that folks?! Amber Dupont used Golett's Psychic to control the energy of Dragon Pulse and make what can only be described as an improvised Dragon Rush!"_

The smoke cleared, and Sandslash and Gliscor were out like lights.

" _And the well deserved winner is Amber Dupont of Sandalwood Town!"_

Amber grinned at her friends, who raucously cheered for her. Even Sapphire managed a bashful yet proud smile. Amber's Pokemon ran to her, and she hugged them.

"Great job guys." she told them. "You guys are the real winners."

"Ty!"

"Gol!"

Amber heard someone clear their throat. She looked up, and saw Leeland standing near her.

"Oh, hey!" Amber greeted him brightly. She wondered when she had gotten this used to strangers. "You did great! That Sandstorm-Dig Combo was really cool."

Leeland typed something into his gauntlet. Amber waited.

"Excuse me..." the gauntlet said, "but would you do me the honor of going to lunch with me?"

* * *

"Wait, what did you say?" Ken demanded. They were in the stands, waiting for Rhodes's battle to start.

"I bet you stammered and stuttered." Braedon teased. "How embarrassing."

"Braedon!" Argent scolded.

"I meant for _me_." he clarified. "I taught her all she knows, and so her flirting reflects back on me."

Amber punched him in the arm.

"Joking, joking." Braedon reassured her. "But seriously, what did you say?"

"I said yes!" Amber exclaimed. She grabbed her hair. "We're going in an hour! What do I do what do I do what do I do-"

"You'll be fine." Argent promised.

"It's the shmuck I'm worried about." Braedon said. "You go easy on him."

Amber put her head in her hands.

"Relax." Ken said. " Braedon and Argent are right. He'll love you."

Braedon rolled his eyes. "Like everyone does." he smirked.

"Not everyone." Sapphire muttered.

Braedon kicked her. "Sapphire, play nice." he warned.

"I'm just saying," Sapphire grunted, "you guys can't promise her everything will be perfect. That's unrealistic."

Amber lifted her head and gave Sapphire a look. "Gee, thanks."

"And besides," Sapphire added, ignoring Amber, "she should be focusing on the tournament. Dates are fleeting. But rivalries are what you tell your grandchildren about! Plus, romance is lame"

Ken and Braedon gasped audibly, scaring those around them.

"Utter blasphemy." Ken said, aghast.

"Don't use such vulgar language around a gentle soul like me!" Braedon said, holding his chest dramatically. Argent snorted.

Amber put her head in her hands. If this date didn't kill her, her friends might.


	60. Chapter 58: Round 1- Fairies in the Wind

_"And now, the final match of round 1! The Dark Type Delinquent Braedon Lovette of Cyperus City is going up against elegant Lady Yuri Matsumoto of Lumoise City! In a clash of dark and light, who will win?_

Braedon grinned. His opponent was a cute girl a few years younger, wearing a white sundress with a blue ribbon around the waist and a white sun hat with a matching ribbon. She looked determined and ready to fight.

 _"This will be a one-on-one battle, Maison rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to the owner of the lowest Level Pokemon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"_

"Go! Crawdaunt, Sableye, Pangoro!"

Braedon's three Pokemon appeared on the field. Crawdaunt opened and closed her claws menacingly at Yuri. Pangoro flexed her muscles for the crowd. Sableye waved at Amber and Argent before popping a stray rock into his mouth.

"Togekiss, Altaria, Whimsicott!"

Yuri threw three pokeballs, releasing three Pokemon onto the field. Whimsicott had curly fur the color of cotton and spiral horns. It bounced up and down as if gravity had no hold. Togekiss flew to Whimsicott's left, it's body white and it's wings broad and triangular. To Whimsicott's right was an elegant Dragon Pokemon with fluffy cloud like wings.

 _Crap. Braedon thought. Three pokemon who can fly, sort of. That's going to be hard, since my Pokemon are ground-locked. And two are Fairy Types... Damn._

Braedon scanned them with his Pokedex.

" _Togekiss, the Jubilee Pokemon. As everyone knows, it visits peaceful regions, bringing them gifts of kindness and sweet blessings. It shares many blessings with people who respect one another's rights and avoid needless strife. This Togekiss is Female._ _Moves Known: Sky Attack, Extreme Speed, Air Slash, Dazzling Gleam. Ability: Serene Grace."_

 _"Altaria, the Humming Pokemon. Altaria dances and wheels through the sky among billowing clouds. By singing melodies in its crystal-clear voice, this Pokémon makes its listeners experience dreamy wonderment. Altaria sings in a gorgeous soprano. Its wings are like cotton clouds. This Pokémon catches updrafts with its buoyant wings and soars way up into the wild blue yonder. This Altaria is Female. Moves Known: Dragon Rush, Dragon Dance, Cotton Guard, Sky Attack. Ability: Natual Cure."_

 _"Whimsicott, the Wimdveiled Pokemon. They appear along with whirlwinds. They pull pranks, such as moving furniture and leaving balls of cotton in homes. Like the wind, it can slip through any gap, no matter how small, leaving balls of white fluff behind_. _This Whimsicott is Male. Moves Known: Hurricane, Leaf Storm, Fairy Wind, Tailwind. Ability: Prankster."_

" _And, let the match begin!"_

"Hurricane! Double Sky Attack!" Yuri yelled in her high pitched voice.

Both Altaria and Togekiss began to glow as the wind became violent. The wind threw them into the air, shooting them at Pangoro before Braedon could get a command out.

"Pangoro!" She yelled as both attacks hit her head on.

"Dig!" Braedon cried. Sableye and Crawdaunt jumped into the earth.

" _Yuri Matsumoto has already taken one of Braedon's Pokemon and has Braedon fleeing!"_

 _Normally, Sky Attack leaves the user immobile for a short time before the attack._ Braedon mused. _But she uses Hurricane and Whimsicott's advanced control of the air to shoot them at my Pokemon early. Dig should protect them for now._

"What, are you just going to hide?" Yuri yelled over the wind.

"Yep!" Braedon said. "And I know exactly where to hide... The eye of the storm! Shadow Claw, Crabhammer!"

In the center of the Hurricane, right where Whimsicott was standing, Sableye and Crawdaunt emerged. Sableye's claws and Crawdaunt's pincers flung Whimsicott into the air. The storm subsided as Whimsicott fell to the ground.

"Now it's two-on-two!" Braedon said with a grin. "Let's see you beat me now!"

"Air Slash! Dragon Rush!" Yuri screamed shrilly.

"Power Gem!" Braedon yelled.

From the ground under the speeding Pokemon erupted an onslaught of gems in every color. The two Pokemon cried out as they were knocked out of the sky.

"Scald!" Braedon yelled.

Crawdaunt eagerly stepped forward and hosed them with burning water.

"Togekiss!"

"Altaria!"

"Now, finish them off!" Braedon cried. "Shadow Claw and Crabhammer!"

Crawdaunt and Sableye surged forward. Crawdaunt knocked Togekiss back with a closed pincer surrounded by swirling water. Sableye's claws bevame surrounded by shadows that formed into a giant claw as he swiped at Altaria.

Both Pokemon cried out as they were thrown back across the stadium.

" _Folks, I think that was the quickest battle so far! The win goes to Braedon Lovette!"_

* * *

Amber has had many nervous habits develop and subside over the years. Hair twirling, babbling, nail biting, rapid blinking, even twitching on occasion.

Right now Amber was making a very conscious effort to not do any of that, because a cute boy was sitting across from her, telling her about his Pokemon via his com-bracelet. Everything he typed it said out loud in it's genderless voice.

"-and Sandslash really likes to get into trouble." he concluded. "But what about you? What are your Pokemon like?"

"W-well, I h-have Tyrunt, Vivillon, Golett, Swirlix, Tauros-"

"I love Tauros." Leelsnd interjected. "But wasn't it hard to separate Tauros from his natural herd mentality?"

Amber reeled back in shock. "I'm surprised you know that."

"I studied Pokemon behavior at Lumoise Academy." Leeland explained.

"So did I!" Amber exclaimed. "And that makes us enemies, you know."

"Why?" Leeland asked, leaning forward. Amber noticed he was very expressive, for obvious reasons.

"I go to Cyperus Academy." Amber explained. "We're at rival schools!"

"Forbidden love." Leeland snorted. "How romantic."

"My friend Braedon will eat this up." Amber agreed.

"Braedon? The boy in the Prodigy Program with you?" Leeland asked. "Tell me about him and Argent."

So Amber did. She told him about her friends adventures catching Pokemon, their fun times and their silly times. He told Leeland about her times at the academy and how she met them and how excited she was to be with them. She told him about Braedon and Argent dancing around each other and flirting and fighting. She told him everything.

In return, he told her about his life- how hard it was to be mute and want to train Pokemon, how happy he was to finally be on an even playing field once the Command Bracelet was invented. Leeland told her about how he loved ground types, having grown up near Route 111 in Hoenn.

Halfway through the date, Amber realized she had no reason to be nervous. Leeland was a great guy.

* * *

"So?" Joseph asked him. "What did you learn?"

"I'm sending you the notes." Leeland said. "I've learned a lot about Amber Dupont and her friends. Hopefully this info will be useful to Archbishop Masa."

"'Hopefully.'" Joseph sneered. "It better be. You know what Masa will do if you fail."

Leeland nodded, trying to swallow but having trouble. His tongue itched even though it no longer existed.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Boom! Plot twist!_**

 _ **Reader question time! What Pokemon do you want to see Amber, Braedon, and Argent catch to round out their teams? Tell me in your review!**_


	61. Chapter 59: Round 2 - Uncomfortable

Amber woke up on the second morning of the tournament feeling incredible. It wasn't hard to figure out why.

Her date yesterday was fantastic (not that she had many to compare it to. Maybe one). After lunch and a drawn out fight over the check, they went for a walk by the fountain. The fountain had various games and vendors around it for the festival, and Amber took great pleasure in the look of despair on Leeland's face when she crushed him in ring toss. He returned the favor by narrowly beating her in a Pokemon trivia game. They ended the day by eating ice cream by the fountain, watching the water Pokemon play inside it. Amber thought it was embarrassingly romantic.

The next morning, Amber hummed as she brushed Tauros's fur and polished Tyrunt's scales. Braedon, of course, noticed.

"Well, someone clearly had a good date last night." Braedon teased, standing next to her. They were inside the Pokemon Center dorms, waiting for Sapphire, Ken, and Rhodes to show up

Amber blushed, but managed to mutter "Jealous?"

"Completely." Braedon answered with a hearty chortle. "It's been forever since I've been on a date."

"I'm glad you had fun, Amber." Argent said. "And I'm proud to report while you were on your date, all of us made it to the next round. Even Braedon, who asked the announcer to call him a 'delinquent'."

Amber scoffed. "Did he really?" she asked.

"Hey, Rhodes tried to get the announcer to call him 'Sex on legs', but he nearly got in trouble." Braedon pointed out.

They all laughed, and Amber's mood was lifted impossibly higher when Ken entered with Leeland.

"Look who I found?" Ken sang, his arm slung around the other boy. "Amber, your _beau_ is positively delightful."

Leeland smiled at her, his whole face lighting up. Ken released him and gravitated toward Braedon and Argent, and Leeland walked over to Amber and swiftly kissed her cheek.

Leeland quickly typed something in his com-bracelet. "How did you sleep?" it said.

"Incredible." Amber said, brushing Tauros more. She suddenly felt self-conscious. Was there fur on her dress? How did her hair look? "Th-this is Tauros. You've met."

Leeland nodded. "Hey big fella." the com-bracelet said. Amber had to admit it was still weird to hear the genderless, dead voice, but she was getting used to it. It helped that Leeland was so expressive in his actions and expressions. "You sure are a strong Pokemon. No hard feelings about the battle?" Leeland typed with one hand and inspected his fur with another.

"Taur!" he yelled happily, looking content. He had always liked being petted.

"Aw, it likes you." Amber said.

"Of course." Leeland said. "He views me as part of the herd because you brought me in, and you're the herd leader in his eyes."

"Nice deduction." Amber said. She heard a laugh and looked to her left. Argent seemed to be mildly annoyed as Ken sweet talked Braedon with an arm around him.

"Oh," Amber muttered, "forgot that plan."

Leeland laughed. "Do you mean your devious plan to get your best friends together?"

"Shhhh! Not so loud!"

Leeland chuckled again. "Relax, they're preoccupied."

Soon, Sapphire showed up, then Rhodes appeared, and the seven of them headed to the stadium.

They sat in the middle row of the stands and Sapphire, Rhodes, Argent, and Braedon got acquainted with Leeland while two trainers fought down below.

"So you're datiing her?" Rhodes asked. "Mad props. I crashed and burned with Amber."

"Can't imagine why." Leeland typed. Even his Com-Bracelet sounded sarcastic. "Oh! That was awesome!"

Amber nodded. One of the trainers had just executed a perfect double attack. "I hope I get to fight her in this thing. She looks skilled."

"I can take her." Sapphire boasted. "Especially if you think she's tough."

"Hey, don't underestimate Amber." Leeland's bracelet said, his arm around Amber. Amber blushed.

Amber's Holo buzzed, as did Sapphire's.

"We're up next." Sapphire said with a grin. "Looks like this rivalry is coming to a head."

"Prepare to lose!" Amber said, and the two of them gave their hasty goodbyes as they raced to the field.

* * *

Braedon decided it was time to pounce. He looked at Argent, who nodded, then slid from his seat next to Ken (who looked distraught) into Amber's seat next to Leeland. Argent climbed into Sapphire's abandoned seat on Leeland's other side.

"Hey buddy." Braedon said, putting his arm around Leeland. Leeland's eyebrows shot into his hairline.

"How are you?" Argent said. Leeland started typing, but Argent interrupted him. "That's good. So, you really like Amber, Right?" he put a hand on Leeland's shoulder.

Leeland nodded.

"And you want to have fun with her, right?" Braedon asked.

Leeland nodded again.

"Hmm." Braedon said, putting his hand on his leg. Argent claimed his other leg.

"Well, here s the deal." Argent said. "Are you uncomfortable?"

Leeland nodded again.

"If you ever make Amber uncomfortable the way we're doing to you-"

"Or pressure her into anything she doesn't want-"

"We will kill you." They both said together.

"We won't leave a trace. No evidence." Braedon said.

"It will look like an accident." Argent added. "Trust me, I've been studying crime scenes."

Leeland nodded. "Understood." His bracelet said. "But can't she take care of herself?"

"Yes," Braedon said, "But she won't. You see, Amber's a bleeding heart."

"She will forgive you." Argent supplied. "We won't."

Leeland gulped.

That was it for Rhodes and Ken. They burst into laughter.

"You two are a riot." Rhodes chuckled, leaning on Ken.

"Hilarious." Ken chortled.

Braedon and Argent backed off, both smiling at each other as Sapphire and Amber's fight started.

* * *

 ** _A/N_ _: Protective Braedon and Argent are my everything to be honest._**

 _ **Last week's question still stands! What Pokemon do you want them to catch? Tell me in your review!**_


	62. Chapter 60: Round 2- Weather

" _Now onto our next match! My exclusive info is telling me there is more to the homely farm girl Amber Dupont of Sandalwood Town than meets the eye. She is one of the three members of this year's prestigious prodigy program. Her challenger, Sapphire Anderson of Vaniville Town, is no slouch either, as she demonstrated in her match yesterday. And now I'm hearing that these two are rivals! This match is definitely one to look forward to!_

" _For those of you just joining us, this is Round 2 of the Santalune Tournament! Each match in this round will have an different condition placed on it. Including inverted type effectiveness and increased speed on all Pokemon, these randomly chosen conditions will surely spice up the battles! Now, turn your attention to the screen as the battle condition is chosen!"_

Amber looked at the giant screen above the stadium. It showed a wheel being spun with various symbols. The wheel stopped on the fist symbol.

 _"The fist symbol! All attacks using hands and feet do no damage! What a match!"_

Amner grinned. She knew what Pokemon to use.

 _"This will be a one-on-one battle, Maison rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to the owner of the lowest Level Pokemon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"_

"Vivillon!"

"Cray!"

Amber and Sapphire both threw pokeballs. On opposite sides of the field appeared Vivillon and Cray, Sapphire's Dragonair.

" _Oh-ho-ho! Both trainers are using Pokemon without those appendages used in battle!_ "

Ambee scanned Dragonair with her pokedex while Sapphire did the same.

 _"Dragonair, Dragon Pokemon. Dragonair stores an enormous amount of energy inside its body. It is said to alter weather conditions in its vicinity by discharging energy from its crystals on its neck and tail. This Dragonair is Female. Moves Known: Waterfall, Draco Meteor, Twister, Thunder. Ability: Shed Skin."_

" _And now, let the match begin!"_

Amber shot a smile at Leeland, who gave her a thumbs up back.

"Silver Wind!" Amber yelled. Vivillon flew forward and flapped her wings, creating a gust of wind full of razor sharp silver scales. The wind turned into a vortex around Dragonair.

"Twister!" Sapphire cried. The orb on Dragonair's tail began to glow. The vortex turned blue as it reversed course then slowed to a stop.

" _Sapphire Anderson has used Twister to cancel out Silver Wind! Smart move by Anderson!"_

"Mega Bug!" Amber called. Vivillon began to shake violently as it created a giant tendril of green energy that shot at Dragonair.

"Thunder!" Sapphire cried. A bolt of electricity came down right in front of the tendril, causing an explosion of energy as one hit the other. The explosion knocked both Pokemon back.

Amber gritted her teeth. "Struggle Launcher!"

Vivillon shot thousands of tiny tendrils at Dragonair.

"Waterfall!"

From the sky cascaded a curtain of  
powerfull water around Dragonair. The Waterfall blocked each of the tendrils, which exploded upon impact with the Waterfall.

 _She's blocking all my attacks..._ Amber thought. _Damn her... She's good._

As if reading Amber's thoughts, Sapphire smiled. "Draco Meteor!"

A blast of energy shot from Dragonair's tail into the sky, growing into a giant orb. It split into thousands of pieces the size of Amber's head and came straight for Vivillon.

"Protect!" Amber yelled at the last second. The orbs collided with a barrier of pure light.

"How-" Amber choked out.

Sapphire smirked. "Most of the time, the meteors land at random. But my Dragonair can control the weather, including the air itself. That gives it complete control over where the meteors go!"

"But it also lowers Special Attack." Amber pointed out. "Calculating from Dragonair's Special Attack and the power of Draco Meteor... You can only use it twice more if you want it to be significant enough to hurt Vivillon." she couldn't manipulate numbers the way Argent could, but she felt like she was right. Even if she was wrong, maybe Sapphire was bad with numbers as. She might believe Amber anyway.

"And Protect only works twice in a row." Sapphire retorted. "So you have one left. It's over for you."

Amber grinned, surprising Sapphire. "We'll see."

Sapphire balled her fists. "Yeah we will! Draco Meteor!"

"Protect!"

Another round of meteors fell down on Vivillon, but exploded harmlessly on her shield.

"Any last words?" Sapphire asked.

Amber grinned. "You are _so_ lame." she snarked.

Sapphire glared at her. "Draco Meteor!"

"Endure it!" Amber yelled. The barrage of meteors came crashing down on Vivillon, who screamed.

"Vivillon!"

An explosion happened, engulfing Vivillon in it's smoke and light. Amber felt the ground shake.

Amber hung her head.

"Guess that's it." Sapphire said. "I win."

Amber couldn't help it. She began to laugh. "Blow away the smoke, Vivillon!"

"What?" Sapphire growled. The smoke cleared quickly, showing Vivillon, who was flying lower and slower but was otherwise fine.

"How!" Sapphire screamed.

"I lied about how many potent uses of Draco Meteor you had left." Amber said. "Only the first two were strong enough to take out Vivillon. Thank Arceus I calculated right. I stink at math."

"You-"

"But wait! There's more!" Amber declared in her best infomercial voice. It was hard to not chortle. I have one more trick up my sleeve, one I've been perfecting just for you! Vivillon, Hurricane!"

Vivillon flapped it's wings as her eyes began to glow. It started to rain hard on the field. (luckily the stadiums had a barrier around them). The wind began to pick up, becoming a vortex around Dragonair. Dragonair began to struggle as she was lifted into the air gracelessly. The vortex flung her around.

"Stop the weather!" Sapphire yelled. Dragonair's orb began to glow, but the vortex kept going.

Finally, the vortex stopped, dropping Dragonair to the ground.

" _The well deserved win goes to Amber Dupont of Sandalwood!"_

Vivillon flew to Amber. "Vivill!" she cried happily, snuggling against Amber's head. She landed on the back of her head as Sapphire approached.

"A weather move so powerful Dragonair can't control it..." Sapphire mused. "Well done, shorty."

The two soaked girls hugged. "You're my height, jerk." Amber said fondly.

Amber let go, and the two girls left the stadium to change.

* * *

 ** _A/N_ _: Sorry for the longish wait. I just haven't felt like writing much._**

 ** _Reader question time! Would you like to see the main characters catch some Alola Pokemon? Answer in your comment/review!_**


	63. Chapter 61: Round 2 - Santalune Safari

The Santalune Safari was a tradition in Santalune. Every year woodland Pokemon from every region would be inserted into the Santalune forest to be caught by the trainers of the festival. Each one tagged with a tracker so they would be able to be safely removed, they range from rare to _extraordinarily_ rare.

With Sapphire and Ken watching Braedon's match for moral support, and Leeland hanging out with his friends, Amber, Argent, and Rhodes were going Pokemon hunting in the forest. The rule was one Pokemon per person, and Amber intended on making the most of this trip.

And by "making most of this trip", she meant that this was phase one of her plan (Operation : Braegent. Ken coined the name). Amber was going to interrogate Argent about his feelings toward Braedon.

Amber took a deep breath. _You can do this._ Amber thought.

"Are you okay?" Argent asked her as they approached the edge of the forest.

Amber nodded. "Just tired. My date with Leeland ran late last night."

Rhodes wiggled his eyebrows. "Oh ho ho." he guffawed.

Amber kicked his ankle. "We got lost on the way back, douche bag."

"I bet you did." He smirked.

Argent glared at him. "I will kill you." he growled. "Or help her do it."

"Gee, thanks bro." Rhodes sighed, holding his skates in hand as he walked beside them.

"Why'd we bring him again?" Argent asked Amber.

Amber shrugged as they entered the forest. Truth be told, Amber had tried to get Rhodes to stay behind. But _somehow_ Rhodes found out their plan, and had insisted that if Amber was setting them up, he could help. Though Amber had her reservations, Rhodes _was_ Argent's brother. He might know how awkward this would be for Argent, and approach the situation with some tact.

"So," Rhodes said, putting a hand on Argent's shoulder, "I'm not into dudes, but Braedon's pretty hot. When are you two going to get on with it."

Or not.

Argent's eyes went wide and he began to choke. Amber nearly panicked and frantically pounded him on the back.

"Rhodes, I will kill you!" Argent screamed once his coughing fit was done.

"The idiot brings up a good point." Amber said. "In the worst way possible."

"I resent that comment." Rhodes muttered.

"Rhodes, please shut up." Argent snapped. "I am not going to- do _that_ \- with my best friend!"

"No, you're going to bicker and flirt with him the rest of your life." Rhodes replied cheerfully. "Personally, I'm fine with either. You two are positively adorable when you argue, after all. But Amber and the others... They have this plan..."

Amber made a noise similar to an angry Dedenne. "Rhodes!"

Argent rounded on her. "You have a plan?"

"Technically," Amber said nervously, "Sapphire, Ken, and I had a plan. And kinda sorta Leeland."

"And me!" Rhodes pointed out.

"And unfortunately Rhodes too." Amber said.

"Rhodes is involved?" Argent shrieked. "And Ken? I thought Ken liked Braedon!"

"Actually he kinda likes you two together more- wait, don't change the subject!" Amber stomped one foot.

"I was honestly curious."

"Either way," Amber said, leaning on a tree and trying to look cool, "We need to talk about your relationship with Brae."

"I'd rather anger a hive of Beedrill." Argent retorted.

"You've done that, remember?" Amber said calmly. She couldn't have him freaking out on her. "Besides, you have to deal with it eventually."

Argent shook his head.

Amber stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder. "Just tell me this. Do you like him?"

Argent glared at her, but nodded.

"Then what's our next move?" Amber asked.

Argent muttered something.

"What now?" Rhodes asked. "Didn't quite catch that, broski."

Argent crossed his arms. "I said that I have a plan."

"You always do." Amber replied with a smile. "Maybe we can make it part of our plan."

Argent nodded slowly, a smile creeping on his face. Amber knew that Argent valued order. It made him feel better.

"So what do we-" Argent started, but Rhodes interrupted him with a shriek.

Amber and Argent were ready, both pulling a pokeball out and throwing it.

"Golett!"

"Klefki!"

Both Pokemon appeared in front of Rhodes.

"No guys, stand down!" Rhodes said, pushing past their Pokemon. "I'm fine."

"Then why did scream?" Argent demanded.

"Because! Look at it!" he gestured happily.

Standing before them was a small round Pokemon that reminded Amber of Dedenne. It had a white face with yellow spots on it's cheeks, round ears, a gray, orb like body with several brown and yellow triangular spikes, and a zigzag gray tail with a yellow end. It happily waved at them with tiny white paws.

"WHAT A CUTIE!" Amber yelled.

Argent groaned. "Do you two have to shout?" he pulled out his pokedex, scanning the Pokemon.

" _Togedemaru, the Roly-Poly Pokemon. Togedemaru uses the needle on top of its head to attract and gather electricity. Groups can be seen gathered with their needles standing upright, waiting to be struck by lightning on stormy days. Togedemaru can also curl into a ball to make its fur stand up in a ball of prickles. However, it is friendly and keeps it's needles retracted around non-threatening entities. This Togedemaru is Female. Type: Electric/Steel. Moves Known: Discharging Strike, Iron Tail, Gyro Ball, and Thunder Wave. Ability: Lightning Rod."_

Amber reached down to pick Togedemaru up, but she rolled away toward Argent. She cuddled against his legs.

"I think she wants to cheer up grumpy-pants over there." Rhodes said with a grin.

"Aww." Amber gushed. "That's so cute! Argent, you should catch her! She just wants you to smile. And she's a Steel type!"

Argent crouched down and scratched behind her ears. Amber knew he was hooked.

"Fine." Argent said. "I guess we-"

"Klefki!" Amber looked up in time to see Klefki fly in front of a charging blue Pokemon coming from the sky.

The Pokemon bounced off easily, before rushing at Argent again.

"Golett, block with Hammer Arm!" Golett rushed forward and blocked the blue Pokemon's pincers with their arm. Sparks of electricity began to fly off the blue Pokemon.

"Sorry." Amber told it. "But electricity doesn't work on Golett! Throw it!"

Golett windmilled their arms, sending the blue Pokemon flying.

Amber got a good look at the dark blue Pokemon. It had a helmet like head with two long blue and yellow mandibles, covered in spikes. It's body was black with glowing yellow stripes.

Amber grinned. "That's a Vikavolt. Leave this to me Argent."

"Not that I doubt you, but why?" Argent inquired.

Amber turned her smile to him. "Because that Pokemon is cool and I want it."

"Fair enough."

"Why do you get it?" Rhodes pouted.

"'Cause I called dibs." Amber replied.

"When?" Rhodes wondered.

"Now." Amber said. "Dibs!"

"Dammit."

Vikavolt levitated in front of them, as if waiting for Amber to make a move.

"Mega Punch!" Amber cried. Golett surged forward and met Vikavolt's glowing mandibles with their fist. Vikavolt used the close range to shoot a giant beam of yellow energy that engulfed Golett.

"Golett, Shadow Punch!"

Golett rushed through the beam and punched Vikavolt with a fist wrapped in shadows. Vikavolt was flung back into a tree.

"Electric Type moves don't work." Amber said to the fainted Pokemon. She threw a pokeball and it went inside. The ball rocked once, then clicked.

"Hmm." Argent hummed. "The use of Zap Cannon indicates a high level."

"But it didn't know that Electric Type moves didn't work on a Ground Type." Amber mused, pulling out her Pokedex. "That indicates that it's never come in contact with a Ground Type before."

Rhodes yawned. "Are you two nerds done?" he asked. "Do you guys do this every time you catch a Pokemon?"

Rhodes began to bicker with Argent, but Amber ignored them in favor of scanning Vikavolt's pokeball.

" _Vikavolt, The Mandible Pokemon. Vikavolt is an adept flier, capable of acrobatic maneuvers such as tailspins and sharp turns. Even as it weaves through complicated tangles of branches in the forest, it is able to maintain high-speed flight. Its huge jaws control the electricity it uses to fire beams. When it clasps a Charabug or other electric type in its legs, it is able to utilize it as an extra : Bug/Electric. Moves Known: Zap Cannon, Megahorn, Charge, Signal Beam. Ability: Levitate."_

Amber looked over at Argent, who was close to strangling his brother (Amber knew the feeling). She had a date tonight, had caught her sixth Pokemon, moved on to round 3 of the tournament, and phase one of Operation: Braegent was complete. Life was good for once.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I wonder if things will continue to go as smoothly for Amber... And what exactly is Argent's plan?**_


	64. Chapter 62: Round 2 - Spikes of Steel!

" _Hello and welcome to the final match of Round 2! I'm your host, Zechariah Bonding! This match looks like it's going to be interesting. The steel faced Trainer Argent Lancaster is up against the girl with a will of steel, Alexi Conway! In this battle of Steel type trainers, who is the most malleable? Now, without further ado, we will spin the wheel of consequences and get the theme for this match!"_

Argent watched the monitor above his opponent's head as it spun. It stopped on a symbol resembling an rock covered in ice.

" _Looks like this battle is going to be a little chilly! That's the ice symbol, which means that the battlefield is going to get a new look!"_

Argent watched as the dirt field began to sink into the ground. After a few seconds that mostly consisted of everyone trying to see inside the rectangular pit, a new battlefield rose from the hole. Argent gasped. The dirt field was now covered in ice and snow.

" _This will be a one-on-one battle, Maison rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to the owner of the lowest Level Pokemon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"_

The girl on the opposite side of the field, a young kid dressed in an orange sundress, threw a pokeball. "Sandslash!" she yelled. A Pokémon with icy blue fur, sharp looking blue claws, and spikes of ice on it's back appeared. Argent scanned Sandslash with his Pokedex.

" _Sandslash (Alolan Form), The Spiked Pokémon. Originally a Ground Type, these Sandslash adapted to the harsh climate of Alola's snowy mountains. It can hide itself in the snow and use these icy quills as camouflage. While Alolan Sandslash is heavier and slower, its claws allow it to dig through snow and ice to create pathways, giving it a distinct advantage in its habitat. Ice/Steel. Moves Known: Ice Ball, Gyroball, Icicle Shard, Metal Claw. Ability: Snowcloak."_

This will be easy.

Argent mused _. "Go-"_

"Toge, Toge!" Togedemaru cried as it jumped out its pokeball on Argent's belt.

"Togedemaru what are you- " Argent started, but he was interrupted by the sound of Alexi's laughter.

"A Togedemaru?" She chortled. "That Pokémon is the joke of Alola! Do you honestly think a weakling like that can beat my Sandslash? This battle is in the bag."

Togedemaru huffed. "Maru-ru!" she screamed at Sandslash, waving her little arms. Apparently whatever she said was funny, because Sandslash began to laugh.

"We'll show them." Argent told her. He crouched down so he was closer to Togedemaru. "I'll be honest, you weren't my first choice… But we're going to win this anyway."

"How?" Alexi's taunted. "With only that Pikachu knock off?"

Argent gritted his teeth. "Says the obvious knock off of me. There's only room for one Steel Type trainer in this competition, right Togedemaru?"

"Toge-Toge!"

 _"Things sure are heating up on the frozen battlefield! And with that said, let the match begin!"_

"Gyroball!" Argent commanded.

"Counter it with the same attack!" Alexi yelled. Both Pokémon rolled into a ball, their fur turning metallic as they rolled toward each other, colliding with a loud clang. They both were flung backward. Togedemaru rolled back and crashed into a frozen rock. Sandslash landed on another rock, grinning.

"Pitiful." Alexi smirked, reflecting her partner.

"Togedemaru, are you okay?" Argent asked.

Togedemaru stood up shakily and nodded, before glaring at Sandslash.

"That's the spirit!" Argent cried. He felt, as Braedon would put it, pumped.

" _Oh-ho-ho!_ " Mr. Bonding said over the intercom. " _Apparently Argent isn't as steel faced as his reputation would have you believe!_ "

Argent scowled. "What reputation… Never mind. Togedemaru, Iron Tail! Launch off that rock!" Togedemaru rolled toward a rock and rolled up it, launching into the air. She unrolled and her tail became covered in the same metallic fur from earlier. Her tail came down on Sandslash.

"Metal Claw!" Alexi called. Sandslash blocked the tail with his claws, which were also covered in a sheen of metal. The two attacks met, producing sparks. Togedemaru was flung backward, but landed on her tail this time.

"Discharge!" Argent cried. Balancing on her tail, Togedemaru began to glow as a jolt of blue electricity shot from her body to Sandslash. Sandslash cried out as he was flung back, but flipped in midair and landed on his feet.

"Togedemaru!" Togedemaru cried, sounding disappointed.

"Don't worry, we'll win!" Argent assured her.

"Don't get cocky." Alexi said. "Icicle Shard!" Sandslash skated forward before swiping in the air. Shards of ice formed in the air, before shooting toward Togedemaru.

"Dodge!" Togedemaru rolled into a ball and zigzagged to avoid the shards. But then Sandslash collided with Togedemaru, knocking her into the air.

"Ice Ball!" Sandslash opened his jaw and a ball of ice formed, shooting at Togedemaru and knocking her out of the air. "Toge!" she cried, falling to the ground.

"Finish her!" Alexi cried. "Gyroball!"

"Togedemaru, Iron Tail!"

Togedemaru turned and slashed her tail, which collided with Sandslash. Sandslash and Togedemaru collided. For a prolonged second, the tail and the rolling body pushed against each other, creating sparks as the two battled with each other. Then Togedemaru was flung back into a rock, cracking the ice and stone as she cried out .

" _And the winner is Alexi Conway_!"

Argent returned Togedemaru. "You did great." He told her. "We'll win next time for sure."

* * *

"Argent Lancaster?"

Argent looked up from his book. Nurse Joy was paging him.

Argent walked over to her and accepted his Pokémon with a thanks.

"We hope to see you again!" The nurse said cheerfully. Argent nodded and walked outside to the field. Two trainers were using it at the moment, so he sat on a bench and pulled out Togedemaru's pokeball. Pressing the button twice, once to enlarge it and once to open it, he let out Togedemaru.

"Toge?" She said, as if waiting for something.

"I'm not mad." Argent said quickly. "I just wanted to see how you felt. That was your first real battle after all..."

"Maru." Togedemaru hung her head, her tail drooping.

"Hey, don't be sad." Argent said softly. "You did exceptionally well for your first battle. I'm really proud of you."

"Toge?" She shook her head.

"I am." Argent insisted. He bit his lip, trying to get out what he wanted to say. Normally, losses didn't bother him that much. It was just what Alexi said that rubbed him the wrong way. "Togedemaru... You know what she said about you is untrue right? You're not pathetic."

Togedemaru just looked at Argent with her wide eyes.

"As a trainer, I hear that a lot. That some Pokémon are weak just because they are small or start out with poor stats... But the great thing about being a trainer is that you get to help Pokémon be the best they can be. Any Pokémon can be strong. You just have to work for it. To say that a Pokémon is weak just because of it's species... That's a sign of a bad trainer, not a bad Pokémon."

"Togedemaru..." she sniffled, hugging Argent's leg and wiping her eyes on his trousers.

"You're really different than when we were kids."

Argent looked up. Rhodes was skating towards him.

"You used to be such a tool." Rhodes continued.

"Now I'm not?"

"No, you are." Rhodes said. "But less so. The Argent I grew up with wasn't nearly this sappy."

Argent rolled his eyes. "And yet you're still just as annoying." Argent said. "You're point."

"There isn't one." Rhodes said, skating up to Togedemaru and petting her. "I just really like this Argent, even if he is all mushy."

"This new Argent wouldn't have happened if you had taken me home." Argent pointed out.

"Geez, you really know how to hold a grudge... That was months ago. Besides, I let you stay, didn't I?"

Argent nodded. He thought of Braedon and Amber and his new Pokémon. "Thanks for that."

"I'd say don't thank me, but you really should." Rhodes smirked. "That was some next level big brother shit I did."

Argent laughed, then bent down and picked up Togedemaru. "C'mon. Let's go meet the others."

* * *

 ** _A/N: Guess who's back?_**

 _ **Tell a friend.**_

 ** _Also, I'm thinking of doing another Q &A. Feel free to submit questions_!**


	65. Bonus Chapter III

_**A/N: Hi, it's Titan! I'm here to announce something that no one could have possibly predicted... I'm starting a new story!**_

 _ **Now don't worry Prodigy fans, I'm going to finish this one. But that's just the thing- this one is coming to an end. I can't**_

 _ **not write about Pokémon, so I'm writing another Pokémon story with 3 OCs! This time, taking place in the Alola region!**_

 _ **Here's the Summary:**_

 _ **"Api and his father made a bet: If Api doesn't beat the Island Challenge of Alola in 120 days, he has to give up his dream of being a Pokémon trainer and take over his father's business. The only rules are that Api has to stay with his new bodyguard, a quiky fire type trainer named Loihi, with him at all times, and he must escort a scientist named Everest across the Islands. Easy, right?**_

 _ **"Not at all. Because from the ashes of Team Skull, a new villanous team is rising. And Api, Loihi, and Everest are at the center of their plans..."**_

 _ **Now, you may be thinking "This guy has to be an idiot, planning a story based on a game that isn't even out yet. He can't do it." And you are 100% correct!**_

 _ **Well, about the idiot part. The story is definitely possible, and I plan to write it. But it's not going to be written until after Sun and Moon come out, so no worries there. As of now, I'm just planning and creating the characters. Speaking of the characters, let's meet them!**_

 _ **Api- A Fairy Type Specialist who has always dreamed of being a Pokémon trainer. Api is taking the Island Challenge to prove to his father that he can be a Pokémon Trainer. He is being protected on his journey by Loihi, and is stuck with Everest after Api accidentally destroyed an expensive fossil. Api stubborn and prideful, and is very confident in his abilities.**_

 _ **Loihi- A Fire Type trainer who trained under Trial Captain Kiawe and is now Api's bodyguard. She seems scatterbrained at times, but she is actually very astute and observant. Her goal is to surpass Kiawe.**_

 _ **Everest: A Kalos native who specializes in Ice Types and Pokémon Physiology. Having received his masters at age 16, he is now a Scientist at Cyperus University. He traveled to Alola to study Alolan Pokémon, and will not leave Api until Api pays him back. Despite Everest's impressive background, he is very childish and loves manga and comic books.**_

 _ **Now I'm going to need some help... I have no idea what to name this story! The theme of the story is innovation vs. Tradition, and I want the name to reflect one of those elements. Feel free to suggest names, plot ideas, Pokémon, or whatever you want!**_

 _ **And I guess that's all for now. Stay awesome m'dudes.**_


	66. Chapter 63: Round 3- The Bet Part 2

The budding relationship between Amber and Leeland was definitely one of the highlights of the tournament.

Braedon knew that last time she had dated a guy, he was a total douche (who, during their camping trip last fall, somehow ended up in the middle of a lake with only his underwear. Not that Braedon had anything to do with that). Amber being with a seemingly nice person was definitely welcome. And very juicy.

Braedon and Ken rounded on Amber the second she walked into the Pokémon Center lobby. It was the third day of the contest, which only meant one thing.

"No, I have not asked Leeland to be my date to the Santalune Gala tomorrow." Amber said the second she opened the door. "I don't even know if I'm going to be in the top four."

"Bullshit." Braedon said. "Unless you get me as an opponent, you're definitely going to be in the top four. And you need to ask Leeland."

"I don't get it." Sapphire said as Amber sat down next to her in the booth, followed by Braedon. "If they're dating, why does she have to ask?"

Argent cleared his throat. "Well, it's tradition for the final four contestants to bring dates to the Santalune Gala. Granted, all thirty-two contestants are invited, along with most of the town, but the top four are the stars of the evening. That means the attention will be on them and their dates. Leeland might not want to go if everyone's going to be staring at him all night."

"Yes, that." Braedon said. "And also, who just assumes that the person they're dating is their date?"

Sapphire frowned. "Normal people?"

"People without a romantic bone in their body." Ken corrected her. "Just assuming that someone is your date takes away the excitement. You have to treat every date like it's the first. That way you keep the spark alive. And besides, it's _extremely_ romantic to be asked to a big event like this." Ken sent a knowing look at Braedon, who rolled his eyes.

"He's got a point." Rhodes said. "You got to romance your lover."

"See?" Braedon exclaimed. "Even _Rhodes_ knows this."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment." Rhodes said hautily.

"You really shouldn't." Sapphire replied, a smug grin on her face as she chewed on some bacon.

"I'm glad you're all so invested in this relationship." Amber muttered, but Braedon could see she was convinced.

"So now on to the next order of business." Ken said firmly. "Who are the rest of us taking?"

"I'm out of the competition, so I don't have to worry." Argent said, before shooting a worried look at Braedon. You know, the way a completely non-pulsed person would.

"Same." Sapphire said boredly.

"That leaves us." Ken said to Braedon. "Perhaps I could take you, Braedon?"

Braedon sighed before gulping down the rest of his orange juice. "First off, you're forgetting Rhodes. Which is completely understandable."

"Hey!"

"Second, I'd be the one taking you, because I'm advancing to the next round." Braedon pointed out.

"And I'm not?" Ken asked.

"Look at your Holo."

Ken fished it out of his pocket. "We're battling first?"

Braedon smiled. "Yep. You would have seen the text had you not been shamelessly dropping hints."

Argent frowned. "I guess that means it's time for us to go to the stadium."

Rhodes sighed. "But I just opened my yogurt..."

"Drink it on the way." Amber suggested, handing him a cup.

"Ingenious." Rhodes declared. "Leeland is a lucky man."

* * *

" _Hello and welcome back to the 15th annual Santalune Tournament! I am your host, Zechariah Bonding, otherwise known as Mr. Bonding! Now we commence Round 3 with a battle between devious Dark type Prodigy Braedon Lovette and his rival, the extraordinarily handsome Ken Ao. Now this Round is my personal favorite: The Chaos Battles! While the opponents are allowed to attack each other, they'll have a much harder time avoiding the traps set in various spots on the field. And if that's not enough, Pokémon from the sky will swoop down and attack if a Pokémon stands still too long."_

Braedon grinned as the crowd broke into rancorous cheers. Apparently, they loved this theme as much as Braedon.

From across the field, Ken smiled confidently at him.

" _This will be a one-on-one battle, Maison rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to the owner of the lowest Level Pokémon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"_

"Crobat!" Ken yelled, throwing a pokéball. From the ball energed a purple Pokémon with wings that moved so fast they were a blur.

They both scanned the other's Pokémon with their pokedex.

" _Crobat, The Acrobat Pokémon. If this Pokémon is flying by fluttering only a pair of wings on either the forelegs or hind legs, it's proof that Crobat has been flying a long distance. It switches the wings it uses if it is tired. Crobat sneaks up on its intended prey using wings that barely make a sound. This Pokémon rests by hanging on a tree branch with its rear legs that serve as wings. This Crobat is female. Moves Known: Acrobatic, Poison Fang, Cross Poison, Double Team. Ability: Inner Focus. "_

"Sableye!" Braedon yelled.

Sableye appeared, his gemstone eyes glistening in the sun.

"Nice choice." Braedon told Ken. "A fast pokemon who doesn't touch the ground."

"Your choice isn't to bad either." Ken replied. "This should be an interesting battle, too say the least. But I think I can make it more interesting."

Braedon crossed his arms. "Oh? How?"

"I say we make a bet." Ken said with a devious grin. "I win, we go to the Gala together."

There was a collective gasp from the audience. Braedon stifled a laugh.

"But what do I get if I win?" Braedon asked.

"Then I set you up with a friend of mine." Ken supplied. "He's one of the best looking men I know."

Braedon grinned. "Now that I like the sound of. You're on, pretty boy."

" _Ladies and gentlemen, this match just got intense! I'm invested. And with that, let the match begin!"_

* * *

 ** _A/N: Who will win the bet? And who's going with who to the Gala? Find out next chapter!_**

 ** _Also, more info on the new OCs for the Alola Pokémon story. Api will have a Morelull as his partner (until a cuter Fairy Type comes along, which ain't gonna happen) and Everest will have a Bergmite (surprise surprise). So look forward to that_**!


	67. Chapter 64: Round 3- Lucky

"Sableye, Shadow Claw!" Braedon cried. Sableye rushed forward, his claws wrapped in a dark aura. But right when he was about to swipe at Crobat, the ground beneath them exploded.

"Sable!"

"Crobat!"

 _"Looks like Sableye activated the landmine! That spells trouble for them!"_

"Sableye, you okay?" Braedon called as the smoke and sand cleared.

"Sable!" Sableye cried.

"And you, Crobat?" Ken yelled.

Crobat just nodded and bared her fangs.

"Good! Now use Acrobatics!" Ken commanded.

"Dodge!" Braedon yelled. Sableye darted to the side, avoiding Crobat's glowing wings. But the ground under him started to glow.

" _The Amnesia pad! Sableye will forget a move for five minutes!"_

"Are you serious!?" Braedon cursed. "Mind telling me what move that is?"

 _"Sorry Braedon!"_

"I swear to… Sableye, Shadow Sneak! Grab Crobat!" Braedon yelled.

Sableye became a shadow and leaped into the air for Crobat. But she moved like a bullet, successfully darting out of the way of Sableye's attack. Sableye landed behind her and the ground became a swampy green color.

"Sable!" Sableye cried. He tried to move, but he was stuck.

Ken grinned. "How unfortunate… Crobat, Cross Poison!"

Crobat drew a purple "X" in the air with his wings, which shot toward Sableye.

"Block it with Shadow Claw!" Braedon cried desperately.

"Sable!" Sableye clawed at the attack, which exploded, knocking Sableye out of the green substance.

"Sable…" He muttered. Braedon scanned him with his Pokedex, fearing the worst.

 _"Status: Poisoned."_ It said. Braedon imagined it was mocking him.

 _"Ouch! Looks like nothing's going right for Braedon Lovette in this match."_

Ken smirked. "Looks like luck isn't on your side today, darling. Do you want a to grab dinner after the ball?"

Then Braedon did something that surprised Ken. He laughed.

"I'm a trickster." Braedon said with a devious smile. "Do you know why tricksters become the way they are?"

Ken grimaced. "I'm not going to like this answer, am I?" he pouted.

"We become tricksters because life sucks, and luck is never on our side." Braedon explained. "So we create our own luck, and cheat the system."

"Well, I'd hurry up and cheat, because Sableye has been standing still for too long." Ken said.

Braedon just smiled as a Skarmory swooped down, claws ready and aimed at Sableye.

"Sableye, now! Mean Look!" Braedon yelled.

Sableye's gemstone eyes began to glow, trapping Skarmory in place.

"Now, Jump!" Braedon yelled.

Sableye jumped on the very surprised Skarmory's back, startling the Pokemon.

"Crobat, knock him down!" Ken yelled. Crobat sped toward Sableye.

"Mean Look!"

Crobat stopped mid attack, trapped in one place.

"Crobat!" Ken cried.

"And for my next trick," Braedon said with a flourish, grinning at the now gaping Ken. "I'll need the audience's help! Should I let the trap under him, the attacker birds, or Sableye finish him? Anyone? How about you, kind sir?" Braedon pointed to a man in the front of the stands.

"What?" The man looked scared.

"Just choose one!"

"The trap!"

Braedon grinned. "Great choice! Sableye, send her down!"

Sableye grinned, leaping off Skarmory and toward Crobat. Sableye slashed at Crobat with shadowy claws, knocking it into the ground. The ground exploded with electricity, shocking Crobat.

"Cro!" she yelled.

" _Cr-crobat is unable to battle! The win goes to Braedon Lovette!"_

* * *

It was after they joined their friends that Ken found his voice.

"You- how did you- I mean I know how but that… Was Incredible!" Ken exclaimed, waving his arms. The person behind him cleared her throat.

"Oops. Sorry sir." Ken said, but quickly moved on. "Braedon, that was amazing!"

"It really was, Braedon." Argent congratulated him. "Simply ingenious."

"It was also showy and overkill." Sapphire pointed out.

"So very Braedon-esque." Amber summarized. Braedon laughed.

"Thank you, thank you." Braedon did a mock bow. "And while I appreciate all this _incredibly_ well deserved and _completely_ accurate praise, but aren't we forgetting something?"

"Modesty?" Amber suggested.

"Humility?" Leeland guessed.

"Manners?" Sapphire said boredly.

Braedon chose to ignore them. "Something very special that you owe me, Ken?"

"A kiss?"

"No, you dolt!"

"Eh, I tried." Ken said in a resigned voice. "I'll tell my friend that you want to take him to the Gala tomorrow."

"But I want to see what he looks like!" Braedon cried.

"Nope." Ken said, popping the "p". "It's a surprise, trust me."

"But how will I know if I like him?" Braedon whined.

"How about you two go on a practice date before the Gala, like tonight?" Leeland suggested. "That way you can still be surprised, just not before the Gala in case he's a troll."

Argent looked indignant. "I doubt he's a troll-"

"Argent, shut up." Braedon said playfully. "Leeland, you're a genius. Amber needs to marry you."

Amber laughed. "Don't start picking floral arrangements yet, Brae."

"Firstly, I like the implication that I'm planning your wedding. Thank you." Braedon joked. "And second, how great is this! Now we just have to find Argent, Rhodes, Sapphire, and Ken dates, then-"

"I'm fine going alone." Rhodes said. "Makes it easier to pick up ladies at the party, you know."

"Charming." Sapphire snorted. "I'm going alone too." She sent a glare to everyone in the group, daring them to protest. They wisely didn't.

"I'm still nursing a broken heart." Ken said sadly.

"More like a wounded ego." Argent deadpanned. "And I have a date, Braedon."

Braedon gasped and clutched his heart. "You? A date? What alternate time line is this?"

"The one where you're a dick." Argent snapped. "I'll have you know I'm perfectly capable of getting a date. Just because I don't jump from boy to boy like you doesn't mean I'm undesirable!"

"Argent, I didn't mean-"

"I'm going to get a drink." Argent huffed. While the effect of him storming off was somewhat allayed by all the shuffling he had to do to get out of the stands, Braedon still felt like shit.

"Damn." Rhodes whistled. "Even I feel like that was harsh."

"I was just joking…" Braedon muttered.

"Brae, it isn't you." Amber said softly. "Well it is, I mean that was a dick move, but he's not mad at you. Well, I mean he is, but there's more to it than- you know what, nevermind. You'rer an asshole."

Braedon bit his lip. "Yeah, I went to far. I'll go apologize-"

"Let me talk to him first." Amber said sagely. "You stay here and work on removing your foot from your mouth."

"I think he needs to get his head out his ass first." Rhodes suggested.

"You would know." Sapphire sighed as Amber left

* * *

Argent was walking a whole three minutes before he realized he had no idea where the food court was. Whatever. He wasn't even thirsty.

"Argent!"

Argent looked behind him to see Amber running his way. He sighed.

"I'm not forgiving him-" Argent started, but Amber cut him off.

"I'm not asking you too." Amber said. "But don't you think you're being a bit hypocritical? You've said worse things to him. You know he didn't mean it."

"I know." Argent said. "That's not it. He's just so obtuse! How can someone so intelligent be so clueless at the same time?"

Amber snorted. "Argent. It's not his fault if he doesn't realize you like him."

"Yes, I know that too, thanks." Argent snapped. "Sorry. That was mean."

"It's fine. Now, if you just repeat that to Braedon, then we're golden."

"I can't. I'm not going to sit there and listen to him go on and on about a date with a stranger that he'd rather be on a date with then me, calling me undesirable, while I just pine after him like a lost Lilllipup!"

"Argent, you're the stranger Ken's setting him up on a date with!" Amber pointed out shrilly.

"I know, but Braedon doesn't!" Argent snapped. "He's so excited to go on a date with someone he barely knows, and not once has he even _entertained_ the thought of dating me? It's obvious he doesn't like me!"

"Argent-"

"No." Argent said. "I'm not going through with this. I can't. Not with someone who's obviously not interested." And with that, Argent slipped into the crowd away from Amber.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Like sands through an hourglass, these are the days of our lives…_**

 ** _Anyway, that was fun. And before you go and say Argent's being a drama queen, keep in mind he's a teenager in love. There is no greater drama queen than that._**


	68. Chapter 65: Round 3- Idiot

If there was one thing Amber was good at, it was conveying emotion through text. The two of them spent all summer texting each other every year since they met, keeping in touch that way and though other methods. They also texted when separated at school. During that time, Braedon had learned that Amber absolutely loved emojis. She'd spam them like crazy. He had also learned that she also didn't hold back with the exclamation points either. So it was only logical for Braedon panic when he saw her message.

 _I'm going to kill you! Get to our dorm now!_ Followed by a whole paragraph of knife and fire emojis.

It was both bone chilling and adorable.

"Guys... I'll be right back." He told his friends.

"Say hi to Amber for me." Rhodes muttered so only Braedon could hear. Braedon ignored him, mostly because he wasn't sure he would be able to fulfill his request.

Braedon left the stadium quickly, knowing that an angry person left to simmer would boil over eventually. The dorms were in the Pokémon center, only a block from the stadium, so he arrived within ten minutes. (Un)fortunately.

Braedon knocked on the door, then immediately realized how stupid it was to knock to enter his own room to meet someone who expected him. So he walked in, bracing himself for shouting.

"Braedon, sit." Amber said in a deadly calm. Braedon considered bolting, but she was faster and more athletic than him. So he sat on the bottom bunk, a foot away from her.

"Amber, before you scream, I promise I'm going to apologize to Argent and I didn't mean it like that. I'm an idiot and I swear-"

"Braedon, do you like Argent?"

 _Wait, what?_

"Braedon?" Amber pinched him. "Why are you laughing?"

"Ow! B-because..." Braedon could hardly breath. "That's all? That's why you're mad? Because I didn't tell you I liked Argent?"

"Wait, you do like him?" Amber shrieked.

"Don't tell the whole town." Braedon laughed.

Amber punched him on the arm. "First off, I'm pretty sure the whole town knows. Second, this isn't funny!"

Braedon couldn't stop chortling. "S-sorry. But it's kinda hilarious. You're mad at me because I didn't tell you I liked Argent, which you already knew."

"No, I'm mad at you because you didn't tell Argent." Amber snapped. "You know, the boy who was almost in tears because you were going to the Gala with someone else."

 _Shit._

Braedon's jaw dropped so hard it was painful. "No. No way. He wasn't supposed to figure out yet."

Amber looked like she was considering slapping him. He would have welcomed it. " _What do you mean, 'He wasn't supposed to figure out yet'?_ "

"He shouldn't be ready yet!" Braedon cried. "I thought I had at least a few months! Are you sure he said-"

"Yes." Amber sighed. "Yes, definitely. But you still aren't making any sense."

"Am," Braedon started in a exasperated voice (It was hard being so intelligent), "you've met Argent. Remember when that girl flirted with him at that store in Dedemille? He nearly puked. So I figured he wouldn't realize he liked me for three months and 17 days."

"You guesstimated how long it would take for Argent to-"

"No." Braedon groaned. "I _calculated_ when it would happen." He pulled out his Holo. "See? Here's a chart of all of Argent's reactions to flirting, followed by a list of all the times Argent had showed interest in a boy. Now if you look here-"

"Braedon, I swear if you're serious-"

"No, I'm kidding. This is my homework from last semester." Braedon laughed. "I really did guess."

"Braedon, this is serious!" Amber snapped.

"No, this is wonderful!" Braedon exclaimed. "Argent _knows_ he likes me-"

"-And now he's pissed at you because he thinks you don't like him." Amber finished.

Braedon cursed. "I'm really am an idiot, aren't I?"

"Yes!" Amber punched his shoulder again. "Finally, we're on the same page. Why didn'tyou tell him you liked him?"

Braedon exhaled loudly. "Amber, Argent isn't the best at sharing and caring. At best, he's the emotional equivalent of a baby Pokémon. I realized I liked him ages ago, but I wanted _him_ to be ready."

Amber softened. "That's actually thoughtful of you. But did you have to be so boy crazy?"

"I felt that jealousy would motivate him." Braedon explained. "Now I realize that I'm a moron. He really thinks I don't like him?"

Amber nodded. "Yes, and the longer we talk, the more time he spends with that idea in his head!"

Braedon sprung up. "You're right. I have to find him now."

"There's a tracker on your pokedex that allows you to locate the others." Amber reminded him.

Braedon pulled out the device. "Thanks Amber. For everything. You're seriously amazing and-"

"Go!"

Braedon smiled and leaned down, kissing her on the cheek. Then he ran.

* * *

 _"Welcome back to the Santalune Tournament! This next match-up is between fan favorite Amber Dupont, one of the three members of the Prodigy Program, and the trainer who dominated last round, Mason Fusaka! Who will end up victorious in this battle between two skilled trainers?"_

Amber felt antsy. She needed to finish this match now, so she could get to Braedon and Argent. She either had to celebrate or pick up the pieces. Either way, Amber had to be there.

She sized up her opponent. He looked kind of like a goth… Only his outfit was pastel colored?

" _This will be a one-on-one battle, Maison rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to the owner of the lowest Level Pokémon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"_

"Absol!"

"Swirlix!"

Amber tried to remember Absol. She knew it was a notable Pokémon for some reason... she finally gave up and scanned it with her Pokedex.

" _Absol, The Disaster Pokémon. Absol has the ability to foretell the coming of natural disasters. As a result, it came to be known as the disaster Pokémon. It lives in a harsh, rugged mountain environment. This Pokémon very rarely ventures down from the mountains. Type: Dark. Moves Known: Razor Wind, Night Slash, Detect, Future Sight. Ability: Super Luck."_

" _Absol, a Pokémon who can predict disasters, in a battlefield of chaos? How will Amber Dupont beat him!?"_

Amber had one thought: _fuck._

* * *

 _ **A/N: Have fun with that cliffhanger! Consider it my thanks for 10,000 views on Quotev and Fanfiction! Expect a bonus chapter soon! Probably!**_


	69. Chapter 66: Round 3- It's Time

Things had been going so well for Amber lately, that it was almost a relief that life was unfair again. At least things were back to normal, right?

Regardless, she would have prefered to be eased back into the misfortune rather than be thrown back into it. Amber resolved to lodge a complaint if she ever made it to heaven. _Yes, hello, I previously used your service called "Life" and it sucked._

Staring down at her was an _Absol._ A white pokemon with a curved black horn like a crescent moon that was much deadlier than it looked. Despite her type advantage, it had the upper hand in speed, agility, _and the ability to predict the future._ There was no way she could beat Absol. At least, not with enough time to spare to meet up with her friends.

" _And let the match begin!"_

 _But I have to try._ "Energy Ball, Swirlix!" Amber cried. Swirlix created a ball of swirling green energy and with a loud "Ix!", launched it at Absol. She dodged it effortlessly, jumping up and landing a few feet behind where she was. Less than a second later, Absol jumped to the left. Right where she had been standing, spikes appeared.

 _"Look at that agility and grace! Absol knows exactly where to move to!"_

Amber gritted her teeth. "Swirlix! Play Rough!"

Swirlix became swathed in a pink aura. He rammed into Absol like a bullet, latching onto Absol's horn with his fangs.

"Absol, throw him!" Mason yelled. Absol began to thrash furiously.

"Hang on Swirlix!" Amber shouted.

Swirlix growled as his grip tightened. Absol continued to thrash, but Swirlix was stuck.

" _Looks like they've been in one place too long! Here comes the cavalry!"_

Amber looked up in time to see a Braviary swoop down and claw at Swirlix and Absol, knocking them apart. Swirlix landed to one side, Absol to another.

Suddenly, the ground below Swirlix began to glow.

"Cotton Guard!" Amber yelled. Swirlix became wrapped in a ball of pink cotton just as the ground exploded beneath him.

" _And Swirlix negates the Explosion Tile with a well timed Cotton Guard!"_

Absol wasn't so lucky. A geyser of water launched her into the air, sending her flying. She landed toward the edge of the field, before jumping forward as the ground beneath her crumbled.

" _Absol get hit by one trap but narrowly dodges another!"_

 _What?_ "Swirlix, keep using Cotton Guard! I need time to think."

"Night Slash!" Mason commanded. "Keep moving!""

"Absol!" Absol cried as her horn began to glow. From the horn shot lines of violet energy that hit Swirlix's Cotton.

 _I don't have much time… How did Absol not predict that Geyser Trap? Or Braviary? Can she not predict Pokemon attacks? That has to be it… But how does that help me?_

On the field, Absol was bobbing and weaving between two spots that presumably didn't have traps and launching attacks at the Cotton. Swirlix wouldn't last much longer…

 _I need to think! How can I use that to my advantage? Even if she can't predict attacks, she's too fast for Swirlix to get any in. Play Rough was a lucky shot. Do I have any moves that can't be dodged? No. I need to slow Absol down somehow… Or stop her! That's it!_

"Swirlix!" Amber cheered. "Let your guard down and use Cotton Shot!"

"Swirl!" Swirlix cried as his cotton launched itself off of his body in all directions, landing on the ground. Where it landed, the traps activated, causing Absol to reel back in shock as a Jolt of electricity, a shower of rose petals, explosions, and fire erupted from the ground. She dodged the chaos hastily, finding almost nowhere to jump.

"Now, Cotton Spore!" Amber yelled. Swirlix launched a gust of wind full of spores at Absol. She sneezed.

"No!" Mason yelled. "Absol, are you okay?"

Absol staggered forward, then collapsed.

" _Amber Dupont has put Absol to sleep!"_

"Now finish her!" Amber commanded. "Play Rough!"

Swirlix flew forward and began to claw and bite Absol. Swirlix then grabbed her by the horn and launched her across the field. Absol landed in the right corner, which promptly electrocuted her.

" _And the winner of this match is Amber Dupont!"_

That's all Amber needed. She returned Swirlix and ran out the stadium.

 _"Wh-where is she going?"_

* * *

Leeland watched as Amber Dupont ran out the stadium. He stood to go to her, but Sapphire cleared her throat.

"Don't." She said, petting her Glaceon (which wasn't supposed to be out in the stands, but none of them cared). "She's probably going to find Braedon and Argent. Arceus knows that their drama is best avoided.

"Says the girl involved in a plot to bring them together." Ken snickered.

"Actually, I did nothing." Sapphire pointed out. "I wasn't important enough to get a spot on Team Braegent."

"I love that name." Rhodes mused.

Ken nodded. "It is rather catchy, isn't it? I'm rather good at couple names."

Rhodes frowned. "Excuse you, I thought of it." Rhodes said, in a mocking voice.

"I beg to differ." Ken said. "I thought of it- I was on Team Braegent first, after all."

"I shipped them since we met!"

"I shipped them before you knew there was a ship!"

"Guys," Sapphire snapped to get their attention, "It doesn't matter. It's a stupid name anyway."

Rhodes and Ken both gasped.

Leeland contently listened to them argue. Since typing into his console took too long (though he had a few buttons that called out Pokemon attacks), conversation was a hassle when it moved this fast. Besides, it was fun to pretend he had friends.

His Holo buzzed. Leeland pulled it out and read the message.

 _I'm here._ It said.

Leeland's blood went cold. No… She couldn't be… He was sure he had more time…

Leeland excused himself, then practically ran away from the stadium. He ducked behind a building and typed out a message.

 _It's time._

* * *

 ** _A/N: That cliffhanger tho. Love you guys :)_**


	70. Chapter 67: Braedon and Argent

Argent knew that he needed to go back and face his friends eventually. He couldn't just abandon them. He'd miss Amber's match, and everyone would realize something was wrong and ask questions. If they didn't already know.

Argent hung his head. He had acted impulsively, snapping and running off the way he did. It was ridiculously immature, something the old Argent would never do. It was funny. Argent had spent so much time thinking of how much better the new Argent was, that he hadn't began to think of what drawbacks their were. He had opened up, and all it did was hurt him in the end.

Okay, maybe he was being melodramatic. Not only was it not the end, but it wasn't like Braedon and Amber hated him. Life could be much worse.

Then, as if to prove Argent right, Argent felt someone tap his shoulder.

"Argent." Braedon said, sitting down next to him.

"Braedon." Argent said stiffly.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither brave enough to break it. Argent stared at his hands. Braedon stared at Argent.

"Ar-"

"Don't apologize." Argent said. "I know Amber is making you. So just don't."

"Okay, that's fair." Braedon conceded. "But I would have apologized anyway. I don't want you to feel like I- I don't know. I just want you to be happy."

"Nice job." Argent deadpanned. "You're doing great. Really."

Braedon made a sound like he was clearing his throat. "And you're doing a great job of being the mature one."

"Next to you, an infant is mature." Argent said, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"But you're the one sitting next to me," Braedon snarked back, "So what does that make you?" They both laughed. Argent tried to feel angry at himself for laughing, but he couldn't. So he just laughed.

"It's so easy." Braedon muttered.

"What is?" Argent asked quietly, the joy in his voice lingering.

"Us. When we don't over think it, it's effortless." Braedon said simply.

"So you're saying I over think-"

"No, I'm saying we do." Braedon corrected. "Sometimes."

"Go on."

"Well..." Braedon started, "Sometimes, for example, one of us has this idea in his head that another one of us likes h- them. They think that the other person, let's call him Person A, would freak out if they, Person B, liked them back. So person B tries to wait for Person A to be ready."

Argent swallowed. "But does person B really like Person A?"

"They didn't at first." Braedon explained. "They hated each other. But Person B and Person A slowly became friends. Then Person B noticed how Person A always seemed to be there for him. How he always made him feel good, and happy, and sad, and angry. How Person A had complete control over how Person B felt, even if Person B hid it well. Person B was a little scared of that, and he wanted control back. So his warped, twisted brain-"

"Don't forget small." Argent suggested.

"-yes, small too. So his brain came up with this idea that Person A wasn't ready for a relationship, so Person B would ask him when he was ready."

"But Person B isn't so bad." Argent said. "Not everything has one layer, after all. He- they- probably thought that Person A would be scared, and they wanted to protect Person A's feelings. And maybe their own too."

"I agree." Braedon said, putting his and on Argent's. "But don't give Person B too much credit. He was a coward, afraid that Person A would reject him, or that they would date and then break up and that would hurt their relationship."

"Person A isn't innocent either." Argent argued. "He was scared that Person B didn't like him back. So he said nothing. Which left them both at a stalemate of flirting and longing."

Braedon laughed, getting closer. "This is getting complicated." he said.

Argent nodded. "But that's your point, right? Person A and B made it complicated, when it was really easy."

"True." Braedon agreed. "So if Person B and A now know that it's super easy, what do they do?"

Argent shrugged, closing his eyes. He couldn't believe what was happening. "It's obvious, isn't it? Person B should just kiss hi-them."

"But Person B should ask first." Braedon said, leaning closer. "What would Person A say?"

"No way." Argent said. "He wouldn't let Person B kiss him."

Braedon's face fell. "I-I-"

"I want to kiss you first." Argent said, before leaning in and pressing their lips together.

It wasn't sexy or magical. It wasn't like fireworks or sparks or fire. It was nothing like any book had described. It was comfortable. Nice. Warm. It was what they were meant to do. _It made sense._

 _Argent Lancaster, kissing Braedon Lovette, made perfect sense._

Braedon pulled away, his hand on Argent's shoulder. "So... Does that mean you're my date to the Gala?"

Argent sighed. "I always was, idiot."

"You were?" Braedon reeled back in shock.

"That hot, wonderful boy Ken was setting you up with? That was me."

"It was?" Braedon giggled. "Well, he was clearly exaggerating."

"I agree?" Argent smiled wider, which was somehow possible. "He totally oversold you to get me too agree. You're basically a troll."

"Which is better?" Braedon fired back. "A troll who gets pretty, smart boys to kiss him, or the pretty. smart boy who kisses trolls? You have some low standards."

"Shut up and kiss me again, you troll."

So he did, and Argent finally believed it.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Guys I can't. These two are just- I can't.**_


	71. Chapter 68: Round 4- Honor Among Thieves

Amber was out of breath by the time she made it back to the Pokemon Center, and her friends, sans Braedon and Argent, were sitting in a booth in the lobby.

"Guys!" Amber panted. "Have you... seen... Braedon and Argent?" She panted.

"Not for a while." Ken answered. "I wonder where they are?"

"Making out." Sapphire suggested in a disgusted tone.

"Since when do you make those kind of jokes?" Rhodes asked.

"I'm not joking." Sapphire said. "Braedon and Argent both updated their relationship status on Pikipeki to 'Taken'. And they posted this." Sapphire pressed a button on her Holo, and the screen projected a hologram above of the two boys, their lips together. "I bet Braedon snuck that pic when Argent wasn't-"

"What?!" Amber shrieked.

"I know!" Ken said, clapping his hands together. He clearly misinterpreted her anger. "I'm excited too-"

"They told their _followers_ before me?!" Amber growled. "They are worse than dead. I'm sending their asses to the Distortion World."

Sapphire, Rhodes, and Leeland burst into laughter, while Ken frowned. "Isn't that a little harsh?" Ken said.

"I'm their best friend!" Amber stomped her foot. "I get the right to know first."

"As the brother of half of the golden couple," Rhodes said in a disgruntled voice, "I'm offended."

"Why are you offended?"

Amber turned around. Approaching them was Argent and Braedon. Braedon had his arm around Argent's waist, and Argent looked embarrassed and pleased with himself. Despite herself, Amber felt a smile spread across her face. She tackled them, pulling the pair into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you dorks!" She gushed.

"Are you crying?" Argent asked, alarmed. He squeezed her back.

"A little." Amber said, wiping her eyes into his shoulder. "But don't tell anyone. I'm supposed to be a tough ranch girl, after all."

They all laughed. "Well, I'm glad we have your blessing." Argent said happily.

"Ditto." Braedon said.

Amber squeezed them once more, then pulled away, still wiping her eyes (only with her sleeve this time).

"What happened to their vacation to the Distortion World?" Sapphire smirked.

"Our what?" Braedon asked.

"Nothing." Amber said, glaring at her. "It's a stupid joke."

Ken rushed passed Amber and hugged Braedon, then Argent. "Congrats you two! I call planning their wedding!"

"Wedding?!" Braedon and Argent both cried.

"As long as I'm the Best Woman." Amber said.

"Leeland is short, so he can be the flower boy." Rhodes said. Leeland flicked him off, and Rhodes winked back. "I call hosting Argent's half of the bachelor party. Austin can plan for Braedon."

"I guess that leaves me with the food." Sapphire said, looking uncharacteristically excited. "My mom owns a catering company, and I'm a pretty good chef, if I do say so myself."

"Hold on you guys." Argent said. "We're not getting married."

"We're not?" Braedon asked, eyebrow raised.

"I mean- not yet-"

Then Braedon smiled, and Argent pushed him. "I hate you." Argent said.

"Hate you more."

"Not possible."

Amber grinned. They were positively adorable.

Suddenly, her Holocaster buzzed. Apparently Rhodes and Braedon's did too, because they also pulled their Holos out.

"The matches of Round 4 are starting today instead of tomorrow." Amber said.

"And the Gala has been pushed to the day after tomorrow." Braedon said with a shrug. "That's good. I needed more time to plan our outfits."

"I swear if you put me in a dress-" Sapphire said threateningly.

"I got you a nice suit and tie." Braedon promised. "The color is a surprise, but it should make you look good and fit your… personality."

Sapphire smirked. "It better. Your life depends on it."

"Hey, I got me a big strong boyfriend to protect me now." Braedon said, hanging on Argent's arm.

"I'm not protecting you from her." Argent said, smiling at him. "I value my life."

* * *

 _"Hello and Welcome to the semi-finals of The Santalune Tournament! For those of you just tuning in, I'm Zachariah Bonding, your host. Round 4, or as I like to call it, the Blitz Round, has very simple rules! The match has a timer! When 1 minute is up, both Pokemon will automatically be recalled into their Pokeballs and switched out for the next Pokemon! The first person to lose a Pokemon loses the match!"_

 _"And our first matchup is one meant to be! Braedon Lovette is going up against Alexi Conway! Now, a little Pikipek told me that Braedon Lovette is now dating Argent Lancaster, who was brutally beat by Alexi a few days ago. Not only is Braedon up against a trainer who uses a Type he should know well, he also has his lover to avenge! This match will be one for the books!"_

"No hard feelings." Braedon said, smiling at her. "Let's have a fun battle."

Alexi smirked. "It'll be plenty of fun for me. Especially if you're as weak as your boyfriend."

"Oh, I am." Braedon said coolly. "That's why I'm going to wipe the floor with you."

 _"And they're already trading blows folks! Might as well tell them to let out their Pokemon! This will be a one-on-one battle, Maison rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to the owner of the lowest Level Pokémon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"_

"Salandit!"

"Ferrothorn!"

On the field, two Pokemon appeared. On Braedon's side was a Pokémon with black and red scales. The red was a line down its back, like lava flowing down a volcano.

* * *

"Where did Braedon get that Pokemon?" Amber asked, pulling out her Pokedex.

 _"Salandit, The Toxic Pokémon. From the base of its tail, Salandit can emit both a toxic gas and flames. The gas has a sweet odor that causes dizziness. The female can also release pheromones that attract males of all species, including humans. Additionally, these pheromones may cause opponents to be controlled by this Pokémon's will. While it is not a powerful Pokémon, it is able to unbalance opponents with its cunning techniques. This Salandit is Male. Moves Known: Clear Smog, Venoshock, Incinerate, and Poison Jab._

"That's why we took so long." Argent explained. "He found Salandit stealing something..."

* * *

 **Two Hours Ago**

Argent grinned, kissing Braedon again. "I'm telling you, they had a plan."

"No way." Braedon said, holding Argent's hand as they walked. "They seriously thought we needed them to help us get together?"

"Amber's the one who told you I liked you!" Argent pointed out.

"No she told me that you knew you liked me, and that I was an idiot." Braedon corrected.

"I don't disagree."

"A double negative?" Braedon clicked his tongue. "Who are you and what have you done with Argent Lancaster?"

"Replaced him with someone who will put up with your nonsense." Argent replied.

Braedon huffed. "My non-"

"Get back here!"

Argent and Braedon turned around. Running in circles with a Holocaster in its mouth was a small red and black Pokémon. Chasing after it was a short man whose face was redder than the Pokémon's scales.

Braedon and Argent shared a look.

"Isn't this just like-" Argent started.

"Pretty much." Braedon answered, pulling out a pokeball.

"Crawdaunt!" Braedon yelled. "Crabhammer!"

"Craw!" Crawdaunt appeared in a flash of light, it rushed forward, it's claw covered in a blue aura-

"Wait, no!" The man cried. "My Holocaster!"

But it was too late. Crawdaunt's claw met Salandit's tail, which was glowing purple. They began to parry attacks.

"Dit!" Salandit yelled as fire shot from it's tail. The jet of flames pushed Crawdaunt back, but Crawdaunt appeared unharmed.

"Salandit is quite strong." Argent mused.

Braedon nodded. "Thanks for the vote of confidence babe. Glad to have you in my corner."

"Please refrain from calling me babe."

Braedon grinned. "Sure babe. Crawdaunt, Night Slash!"

Crawdaunt scuttled forward, slashing at Salandit with black pincers. Saladit blocked the strike again.

"Grab his tail!" Braedon yelled. Crawdaunt swiftly snatched at his tail, clamping onto it. Salandit began to thrash and shoot flames into the sky, unable to hit Crawdaunt.

"Great!" Braedon cheered. "Now, stick your pincer in his mouth and use Scald!"

"Crawdaunt!" Crawdaunt stuck his pincer in Salandit's mouth, opening it and spraying water so ferociously that Salandit was flung from Crawdaunt's grasp into the air.

"Salandit!"

Braedon took that as his cue. He took out a pokeball and launched it at Salandit. The pokeball opened in midair, a red beam emerging from it and hitting Salandit. Salandit was sucked inside. The ball landed and shook once, then clicked.

"A critical capture?" Argent said. "How lucky."

"Lucky?" The man roared. "Look at my Holo!"

Braedon looked to his left. The Holo was now a puddle of smoking goo.

"I want that Pokémon punished!" The man yelled. "I had precious family photos-"

Braedon sighed and pulled a roll of money out of his bag, handing it to him.

"On second thought, I never liked my family." He said cheerfully, leaving them.

"I miss having a rich father." Argent sighed.

"There's a lewd joke in their somewhere, " Braedon said, holding the pokeball, "but I'm not going to make it. Too easy."

Argent sighed. "You really are a child."

Braedon just wiggled his eyebrows and threw the pokeball in the air. It opened, and Saladit appeared. It started to scamper away, but Crawdaunt caught it by the tail.

"Hey, wait." Braedon said softly. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm a crook too. Ya know, honor among thieves and all that. See?" Braedon held up Argent's wallet.

"Braedon!"

"Relax. I didn't take anything out of it. I did put a few shirtless picks in there.

"Gee, thanks."

"I'm a giver." Braedon said airily. "Anyway, Salandit, what you did was wrong. You destroyed that man's property."

"Sal?" Salandit asked, confused.

"Look, I know you're a thief," Braedon said, "but that doesn't mean you have to be a jerk too. You can trick and steal from bad people. Or you can use your tricks to help others or make them laugh."

"Salandit?" Salandit asked.

"Look, I'm on a journey." Braedon said. "And that means I'm going to meet a lot of bad guys. We can trick them together, if you want."

Salandit nodded. Braedon smiled, returning it to its pokeball.

"You really are unique." Argent told him. "I can't believe I have you as a boyfriend."

* * *

"Aww, did you really say that?" Ken gushed.

"That's enough to melt a stone heart." Rhodes said cheekily. "Right, Sapphire?"

Sapphire rolled her eyes. "Shut it, creep."

"It really is sweet." Amber said.

Argent looked at his laces. "I was just stating a fact." He muttered.

Amber planned to tease him more, but she got interrupted.

 _"And let the match begin!"_

* * *

 ** _A/N: Isn't Salandit the perfect Pokémon for Braedon? Even if he's not a dark type, it's cunning and sneaky and unorthodox and based on a bandit._**

 _ **Also, some bad news... I forgot about the contest for Braedon's last Pokémon and now he only has one spot left. But I want to keep that spot open in case I see a Pokémon that Braedon should have while writing. So Braedon won't be getting the winner of that contest. BUT to make up for that, I'm having a contest for Loihi (one of my Alola OCs from the new story). You guys get to pick her starter! The contest will be on Quotev only (because you can comment on polls on Q) but if you say your vote in your Fanfiction review, I'll add it to the list and write down your vote. I'm only adding Alolan fire types, but if you suggest a fire type I'll add it to the poll. Happy voting!**_

 _ **(Also, keep in mind that Loihi is a dancer because she is Kiawe's apprentice. So try to pick Pokémon that fits that theme. Not required. Also no legendaries allowed.)**_


	72. Chapter 69: Round 4 - Time

"Ferrothorn, Gyro Ball!" Alexi yelled. Ferrothorn shot a ball of silver energy at Salandit.

"Incinerate!" Braedon countered. Salandit shot a ball of fire surrounded by fiery black bands at the Gyro Ball, and the two attacks collided, causing an explosion powerful enough to push Salandit and Ferrothorn back a few feet.

 _"Look at that sheer power folks! This is a match between pros!"_

 _That explosion wasn't because of Salandit's power._ Braedon thought. _He isn't doesn't have a high Special Attack. That must have been Ferrothorn. Her power might be a problem…_

"Clear Smog!" Braedon yelled.

"Dodge!" Alexi cried. Salandit shot a fast moving ball of white smoke at Ferrothorn, who used his tendrils to lift himself above the attack.

"That trick won't work!" Alexi said smugly.

"Why?" Braedon smirked back. "Because Steel is immune to poison?"

"No." Alexi fired back. "Because I know Salandit's Ability allows him to poison Steel Types."

Braedon scowled. She _was_ good.

 _"And Time!"_

Suddenly, the ball on Braedon's waist opened and Salandit was sucked into it. The same happened to Ferrothorn.

 _Damn. Forgot about that._ Braedon thought. "Pangoro! Power Up Punch!"

"Lucario! Bullet Punch!"

Lucario and Pangoro appeared on the field, and immediately began throwing punches at each other. They blocked each other's strikes, and tried to find an opening on their opponent.

"Find an opening, Pangoro! You can do it!" Braedon encouraged.

"Keep going, Lucario!" Alexi commanded.

"Pan!"

"Cario!"

But Lucario was easily faster, and managed to catch both Pangoro's fists with his own.

"Low Sweep!" Alexi yelled. Lucario swept the ground with his foot, sweeping Pangoro off his feet. Pangoro fell to the ground.

"Now, Aura Sphere!" Alexi yelled. Lucario raised his hand, and a ball of blue energy shot at Pangoro.

"Parting Shot!" Braedon called. Pangoro screamed angrily, and was sucked back into his Pokeball right as the attack would have hit. Kecleon jumped from his Pokeball.

"Kecleon, hide!" Braedon yelled. Kecleon became invisible.

"Lucario, can see Aura, genius!" Alexi gloated. "Low Sweep!"

"Lu!" Lucario swept his foot, hitting Kecleon and sending him flying.

"But can he see an obvious trick like Substitute?" Braedon said. "Kecleon, Slam!"

Kecleon disappeared in a poof of smoke, and the real Kecleon appeared behind Lucario. His tongue shot from his mouth and grabbed Lucario by the tail, lifting him into the air and slamming him into the ground.

"Lucario, Extreme Speed!" Alexi yelled.

 _"Time!"_

Both Pokemon were sucked back into their Pokeballs.

"Aggron! Flash Cannon!"

"Sableye! Dodge!"

Aggron and Sableye both appeared, and Aggron shot a giant beam of silver energy at Sableye, who jumped to the side.

"Shadow Sneak!" Braedon yelled.

Sableye became a shadow, then slithered to Aggron.

"Mega Punch!" Alexi commanded. Aggron punched the ground, but he couldn't hit Sableye.

"Keep trying!" Alexi cried. Aggron kept punching the ground, but Sableye was too fast and slippery as a Shadow.

 _"Time!"_

"Crawdaunt, Night Slash!"

"Sandslash, Ice Ball!"

Sandslash rolled forward, glowing with a blue aura. Crawdaunt slashed at her, but Sandslash curved around the attack and hit Crawdaunt on the side.

"Craw!" Crawdaunt cried as she was thrown across the field.

"Crawdaunt, Dig!" Braedon yelled. Crawdaunt got up and dug itself into the ground.

"Get ready Sandslash!" Alexi told her.

 _Dammit._ Braedon thought. _This battle is changing too fast. I can't think up a strategy._

 _"Time!"_

Crawdaunt was sucked from his hole and back into Braedon's Pokeball.

"Salandit!"

"Ferrothorn!"

Salandit appeared on the field, smoke coming from his tail and poison dripping from his maw.

 _That's it._ "Salandit, Clear Smog!" Braedon commanded. Salandit shot a ball of smoke at Ferrothorn.

"Dodge!" Alexi cried with a smile. It was clear she thought she was winning. Braedon was repeating moves that didn't work, after all.

Ferrothorn lifted himself above the attack, which hit the wall behind him and exploded, spreading white smoke behind Ferrothorn.

"Incinerate!" Braedon yelled. Salandit shot a ball of fire at Ferrothorn, who dodged it.

"That's the best you-"

Then the fire hit the smog, causing a giant explosion that engulfed Ferrothorn. When the fire was clear, Ferrothorn was laying on the ground, unconscious.

 _"And the Winner is Braedon Lovette!"_

"I lost?" Alexi muttered, returning Ferrothorn.

Braedon just gave her a smirk and left the stadium.

* * *

"Nice job Braedon!" Argent said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Argent would never get used to that, not did he want to.

"Thanks." Braedon said. "It was nothing. I was just defending my man's honor. No big deal."

Amber rolled her eyes. "Humble too, aren't you? Oh well. Rhodes and I have to get to the field for our match."

"This will be fun." Rhodes said.

"Good luck to both of you." Argent told them.

"Aw bro, you do care." Rhodes said, clapping him on the back. After throwing one last kiss at Sapphire and Leeland (who both blanched), they were off.

"Wait, why aren't we going to the stadium to watch?" Leeland asked.

"The match starts in ten minutes." Braedon said. "We have time. Let's get food."

"Wait!" Argent turned around. Running toward them was Alexi, murder in her eyes.

"What do you want?" Argent scowled.

"Not you." Alexi said angrily. "I want a rematch." She told Braedon.

"You lost, so get lost." Sapphire growled.

Leeland nodded. "We don't have time anyway."

"No!" Alexi snapped. "I want to show him that in a real fight, I'm better. That fight wasn't fair!"

Ken crossed his arms. "You're very rude! You insult Argent and Braedon and give them commands? I hate to see how you treat your Pokemon."

Alexi shook her head. "I-I can't lose."

"Why?" Argent asked.

"I just- none of your business!" Alexi cried, grabbing Braedon's arm. "Just battle me! Please!"

"No!" Braedon cried. "I already did! Get off!"

Argent and Sapphire rushed forward, yanking the girl off. She fell to the ground and started sobbing.

"Are- are you okay?" Argent asked her.

She shook her head, then stood and ran in the opposite direction.

"Hey- wait!" Argent took off after her, his friends following.

They quickly lost her in the crowd around the stadium.

"What was her deal?" Sapphire wondered.

"Maybe she was crazy." Ken suggested.

"Or maybe she had a problem." Leeland said with a scowl.

"It doesn't matter." Argent said tiredly. "Let's just go. We can't help her now."

Braedon nodded. "Hey, it's okay Argent. You tried."

Argent sighed. "I know. I just wish I knew why she was like that."

* * *

"You really have a death wish, don't you?" Masa said sweetly. She could barely see Alexi's face in the darkness of the room, but what she could see pleased her. "First you owe the church money and you don't repay it. Then, you lose to that impure boy. And that's not to mention the dirty Pokémon you keep with you."

"Please..." Alexi begged. "I love Durant... he was my b first Pokémon... I can't lose him..."

"Tough." Joseph said. "The deal was you beat the kid, you get your debt paid off. You didn't, so we get to Purify you as collateral."

"Wh-what are going to do with him?" Alexi sobbed.

Masa giggled. "Send him where all bad Pokémon go. What a dumb question, Lexi-rexi."

"I won't let you!" Alexi cried, rushing at her.

Suddenly, Alexi fell to her knees as thousands of volts of electricity went through her veins. "Stop! Stop!"

"Only if you give me the bug so I can squash it." Masa said cheerfully.

"Never!" Alexi stood shakily. "I won't let you touch him!"

"Pachirisu, again." Masa said. Pachirisu began to spark.

"No... please..."

* * *

 ** _A/N: So... that happened._**


	73. Chapter 70: Round 4 - Flower

_"Hello folks, and welcome to the next round of the Santalune Tournament! This semi-final round is between fan-favorites Amber Dupont and Rhodes Lancaster! Both have shown great strength and skill throughout the competition, but who will win?"_

Amber smiled at Rhodes. As annoying as he was, she still felt bad knockimg him out of the Tournament. He wasn't a completely bad guy- a pushy creep, but he was still nice and supportive of Argent.

Rhodes was hitting the back of his shoe againstthe ground and waiting for her to say something. His shoe has a button on the bottom that made a wheel come out so he could skate on a whim.

"Good luck, Rhodes!" Amber called.

Rhodes did a v-sign then put it to his mouth, sticking his tounge out. "You too, wallflower! Or maybe I should call you fire flower, 'cause you ain't too shy anymore."

Amber wondered if that was true. No. She was still shy, and didn't like crowds snd new people, but she wasn't _scared_ of those either. Some of the time, like when she was with her friends or boyfriend, she forgot she even disliked those things. She was still shy, but she definitely wasn't a wallflower.

"I lile that one." Amber replied. "Hope you don't get burned in this battle."

"Sweetie, that ain't gonna happen." Rhodes smirked.

" _Now that the banter has been exchanged, let's begin! This will be a one-on-one battle, Maison rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to the owner of the lowest Level Pokémon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"_

"Vikavolt!"

"Pinsir!"

Vikavolt and Pinsir both sized each other up. Amber hoped that Vikavolt wouldn't attack Pinsir before the match started, but apparently he only attacked Electric Types. She scanned Pinsir with her Pokedex.

" _Pinsir, The Mandible Pokémon. Pinsir has a pair of massive horns. Protruding from the surface of these horns are thorns. These thorns are driven deeply into the foe's body when the pincer closes, making it tough for the foe to escape. This Pinsir is Male. Moves Known: Strom Throw, X-Scissor, Guillotine, and Superpower. Ability: Moxie."_

 _"And let the match begin!"_

"Guillotine!" Rhodes yelled.

"Dodge!" Amber yelled. Vikavolt flew to the side right as Pinsir came at him, successfullydodging the attack.

"Guillotine is a one-hit KO move." Amber obseved. "Nice strategy. That would have ended the battle in seconds."

"I can still make that happen." Rhodes replied. "Guillotine, again!"

"Volt Switch!" Amber cried. Vikavolt became surrounded by electricity as he was sucked back into his Pokeball. In his place appeared Golett, who shrugged the attack off as if it was nothing.

" _Using Volt Switch, Amber Dupont has brought out Golett! That means the only move Pinsir can use is X-Scissor!"_

"Damn, you're good too." Rhodes praised her. "X-Scissor, Pinsir!'

Pinsir rushed forward and sliced in an x formation with his horns. This created a green x in the air that collided with Golett, who was knocked back.

"Golett, you okay?" Amber called. They nodded.

"Now, use-" Rhodes started.

" _Time!"_

Golett and Pinsir were swiftly sucked back into their Pokeballs.

"I was in the middle of something!" Rhodes complained. "Fine. Lumineon! Silver Wind!"

"Vivillon! Hurricane!"

"Viv!" Vivillon cried as she began to flap her wings furiously. The wind became torrential and rain poured down.

"Lumineon, Aqua Jet!" Rhodes yelled. Lumineon began to zig zag through the storm, surrounded by a veil of water. She collided with Vivillon, knocking her back. The storm stopped abruptly.

"How-"

"My Lumineon is a Water Type who can fly better than most Flying Types!" Rhodes gloated.

"Vivillon, you okay?" Amber asked. Vivillon got up and began to hover weakly.

"Lumineon, Aqua Jet!" Rhodes repeated. Lumineon seemed to swin at high speeds through the air toward Vivillon.

"Flash!" Amber cried. Vivillon let out a flash of bright light, blinding Lumineon and stopping her in her tracks.

" _Time_!"

"Go, Druddigon! Outrage!"

"Tauros I choose you! Strength!"

Both Pokémon became surrounded by a red aura. Tauros grew in size and pawed the ground and charged at Druddigon, who swiped him aside easily. Druddigon then began pounding on Tauros, who beat the attacks back with his horns.

 _I thought Tauros was the only one who could match Druddigon's brute strength,_ Amber thought, _but he doesn't seem to have the power..._

Finally, the move seemed to be waring off. Druddigon was stumbling wearily.

"Outrage causes fatigue and confusion!" Amber yelled. "You're as good as done for! Tauros, Take Down!"

Tauros snorted... then fell to the ground.

" _The Winner is Rhodes Lancaster!"_

Amber ran to Tauros and returned him, thanking him as she did.

Rhodes walked up to her. "Druddigon had Rough Skin as an ability. Every time Tauros touched him was extra damage to Tauros."

Amber nodded. "Nice job, Rhodes. You did great."

Rhodes laughed. "So did you. Glad I got to battle you- it was fun."

Amber smiled. "Let's go, finalist. We still have to see what Braedon has in store for us."

Rhodes shuddered. "A truly scary thought."

* * *

Rhodes wondered where his friends were right now. Probably in the cozy dorms of the Pokémon Center, sleeping soundly. He was the stupid one who had a job to do.

But it was an important job. Argent needed him to do it.

Rhodes walked down the dark path, nodding at Rattata scurring by. Where was she? She should have been here somewhere?

Suddenly, Rhodes heard a noise. A faint squeak, like sneakers. He pulled out a Pokeball and got ready to open it.

"I know you're here!" Rhodes yelled. "Show yourself!"

Out of the shadows stepped Argent. He looked grim.

"Argent, you followed me?" Rhodes asked. "Don't do that, broski. You scared me."

Argent nodded, then stepped closer. Rhodes raised an eyebrow. "You okay?" Rhodes asked.

Argent nodded again.

"You sure? Because you're giving me the silent treatment like you're not-"

Then Argent punched him, and everything went black.


	74. Chapter 71: Round 5 - Gala

To say that Braedon had out done himself was like saying Lumoise tower was small.

"Braedon, I love it!" Amber cried, twirling in her dress. It was the color of a yellow sunset, with pinks and oranges and purple on the hem. Her heels were annoying, but Argent hadn't made them too high. Her hair was up an elegant bun, and even she wore white gloves. She twirled again, tripping over her own feet.

"Oomph!" Amber cried, but she didn't hit the floor. Instead, Leeland caught her.

"Leeland..." Amber muttered. He looked so handsome in his classic black tux, his brown eyes sparkling with admiration. "You look amazing."

Leeland laughed then helped her up, before gesturing to her dress as if to say "You too".

"We all do!" Ken squealed. He wore a traditional Arolite Kimono. It was black and red, with lilies and tree patterns. "Braedon, this is wonderful!"

Braedon, who wore a black masquerade- esq long-coat and white gloves, beamed under the praise. "Thanks! I tried to get you all things you would like, but-"

Argent silenced him with a kiss. "You did wonderfully." he said. He wore a suit identical to Braedon's, but white.

Even Sapphire seemed pleased. "I'm glad you didn't get me anything too showy." she said, inspecting her bluish green suit that matched her eyes. Her normally mousy and tangled brown hair was shining with corkscrew curls.

"Where's Rhodes?" Amber asked.

"I'll tell you where he's going to be," Braedon huffed, "on the business end of my shoe."

"What'd he do?" Ken asked.

"He texted me this morning," Braedon said angrily, "And said that he could get a better outfit from somewhere else. He says it'll take all day to get and he'll surprise us at the Gala."

"He's an idiot." Argent said. "We all look fantastic."

"Amen to that." Ken cheered. "Rhodes is missing out."

Amber looked at Argent. He still seemed unconvinced, but he said nothing.

"Our ride will be here soon." Braedon said. "I'll crush Rhodes in the final round at The Gala. Ungrateful swine."

They went outside to wait for their cars, talking and chatting. Amber hung onto Leeland's arm, and noticed that he was off in his own world. He never really participated in their conversations unless it was one on one, but he always paid attention and laughed along. Now he was pensive and still.

"Hey," Amber muttered to him. "You okay?"

Leeland nodded, then smiled at her faintly. Amber wondered if he was just nervous about the party.

When the car arrived, Amber pulled him aside.

"It'll be okay." Amber muttered to him. "The second you feel uncomfortable, we'll leave."

Leeland smiled gratefully at her, and they piled into the car.

* * *

The Gala was was absolutely stunning.

Everyone was dressed in formal wear, and several were dancing. The tile floor and walls were gold, as well as the drapes hanging from the ceiling. An ornate chandelier hung above the dancers. The room was also huge, at least half the size of a football stadium.

"Whoa." Amber breathed.

Braedon nodded and nudged her. "Pretty impressive, small town girl?"

Amber ignored him. "This place is huge."

"And it looks like the whole city is here." Sapphire said uncomfortably.

"You'll be fine." Ken told her. "I'm more worried about the unfortunate soul who asks you to dance."

Sapphire thawed a little. "I plan to give them hell."

They made their way to across the dance floor to the refreshments, which were mostly finger foods and sweets (Amber squealed).

"You might have to hold her back, Leeland." Argent joked.

Leeland laughed and made a slashing motion across his neck. Amber laughed too, grabbing a chocolate from the table.

"Argent, can you formal dance?" Braedon asked.

Argent nodded proudly. "Of course. You should know that rich parents teach you The Waltz before you can walk."

"Yeah, we're not doing that." Braedon said deviously. "Get ready to look like a fool."

"I- what?" Argent cried as Braedon dragged him to the dance floor.

"Isn't that part of the package when dating Braedon?" Sapphire snarked.

"I heard that!" Braedon called as he taught Argent a dance called "The Porygon". Argent seemed to be having fun, even if people were staring.

"I'm going to the courtyard where it's less crowded." Sapphire said.

"I'll accompany you." Ken said. "We can look for Rhodes while we're there."

Amber nodded. She had forgotten Rhodes for a second, and felt bad. He was their friend too.

Sapphire and Ken left, leaving Amber alone with Leeland. Amber always hated their first seconds alone. She never knew what to say, so they just sat there until one of them broke the silence.

Finally, Amber grabbed his hand. "C'mon. We're going to dance."

Leeland raised both brows and gestured toward Braedon and Argent, who were now dancing like they had electricity going through their body.

"Not like that." Amber said. "Formal dancing. Let's go."

Amber led him by the hand to the dance floor. She put her hand in his, then her other on his hip. He put his on her shoulder. They moved in a safe pattern, no elegant twirls or dips. Amber stepped on his foot several times, and he hers. After a short argument about whether heels hurt more getting stepped on or stepping on someone, the music became slower and lower. Leeland pulled her closer, surprising Amber.

 _You look great._ He mouthed.

Amber grinned. "You too. I can't believe someone hasn't stole you away yet. Not that I'd let them."

 _Too late._ He mouthed, before leaning in and kissing her.

* * *

Argent eventually had to take a break. Apparently it was tiring to dance horribly. You learn something everyday.

"Here." Braedon said, arriving at their table with drinks. He handed one to Argent, who thanked him. "Sorry it took so long. I got stopped by someone asking me about my match with Ken."

"Someone's popular." Argent joked. "You deserve it though. Out of all of us, you got the farthest."

"And now I get to fight Rhodes." Braedon said. "I'll make him pay for insulting me!"

Argent's eyes rolled from one side to the other. "So dramatic… But on a more serious note, where is Rhodes? Shouldn't he be here?"

Braedon looked around. "Well, this place is huge. He could be anywhere. Besides, he probably found a girl he likes and is chasing her. You know Rhodes better than I do."

Argent bit his lip. "I know, but still…"

Braedon grabbed his hand. "Do you want to look for him? 'Cause we can."

Argent shook his head. "No. He's a capable trainer. He can take care of himself. I just got so used to all seven of us together, that it's weird not to have him around."

"Same here." Braedon reflected. "I wish they could come with us."

Argent sat up. "Why can't they?" He said.

"Come with us? Because... honestly? I have no clue." Braedon said.

"We could ask them." Argent suggested excitedly. "They're going to the Cyperus Festival as our guests. We can all just travel there together."

Braedon grinned. "Hell yeah! Let's go find them and-"

" _Will Braedon Lovette and Amber Dupont please head to the battlefield outside?"_

Braedon looked at Argent. "I guess it's time for the finals? But why did they call Amber and not Ken?"

Argent frowned and crossed his arms pensively. "I guess we should go find out, right?"

Braedon nodded and grabbed Argent's hand, and the two of them left.

* * *

"Sapphire, look at these flowers!" Ken exclaimed, pointing at a bush of white flowers that almost glowed.

"They're alright." Sapphire muttered. "But don't we need to find Rhodes?"

Ken nodded. "Sorry! Let's go!"

" _Will Braedon Lovette and Amber Dupont please head to the battlefield outside?"_

"Amber?" Sapphire wondered.

"Why would they call her?" Ken questioned.

"You should be more worried about yourself."

Ken looked around. "Who's there?" He called.

Suddenly, they both heard a faint buzzing. Ken tried to run, but he couldn't move.

"It's useless. You two are mine." The voice said.


	75. Bonus Chapter IV

_**A/N: Hey friendos, it's me, Titan. And joining me today are three very special guests who you probably know:**_

 _ **Amber: Hi!**_

 _ **Braedon: Waddup homiesexuals!**_

 _ **Argent: Hello.**_

 _ **Titan: Yep, it's the Prodigies! And they're here to help me. You see, I have a lot of stuff to cover. Also, does anyone else hate the phrase "A lot" but can't stop using it, or is that just me?**_

 _ **Braedon: same**_

 _ **Argent: I'm glad you're the one in control of our lives.**_

 _ **Titan: Don't sass me. Anyway, the four of us are here today to tell you all of this stories juicy secrets!**_

 _ **Amber: ... All we're telling them is the original plot of this story.**_

 _ **Argent: Scandalous.**_

 _ **Braedon: It is though. It involved destiny, death, bad writing, romance, and had 18 main characters and spanned 6 regions!**_

 _ **Titan: I suddenly regret this.**_

 _ **Argent: It was 2013. Everyone regrets 2013.**_

 _ **Titan: True. I guess we'll get it over with. Amber, if you will.**_

 _ **Amber: Okay. Um. Where to start... So sorry, I didn't mean to- wait, I'm confused.**_

 _ **~Brief Intermission~**_

 _ **Amber: Okay, so they explained the plot to me again. For the fourth time, I might add. And whoo boy, is it needlessly complicated.**_

 _ **Amber: So the overall plot comes from the title itself, "Pokémon Prodigies". All 18 (originally 17 until a Fairy Types became a thing) main characters represented a Pokémon type (but not all of them specialized in that type). And they all were trained by a famous trainer from the games-**_

 _ **Braedon: *cough* how special of them *cough***_

 _ **Titan: Please bury me.**_

 _ **Amber: As I was saying, they were all trained by a famous game character and/or OC. The First Arc was the Unova Arc. It stared Topher, Allison, and Dino from Pokémon Alliance. The plot was basically the same as Titan's Pokémon Alliance story, except with Team Plasma, who for some unknown reason had a book of spells and turned the three of them to stone after they were defeated. But I'm skipping ahead.**_

 _ **Argent: It's not like it makes sense anyway.**_

 _ **Titan: Don't mind me. Just waiting for the sweet release of death.**_

 _ **Amber: The story starts with Topher meeting Allison and Dino, and the three of them getting starters that aren't the regular three because of convuleted reasons I'm not discussing. Their parents wanted them to travel together so they can... i don't even know why to be honest. But Allison hated them, grew to like them, they all became friends, then traveled to Kanto to beat the gyms, Frontier, and a new contest called Pokémon Nomads (basically the trainers you have to beat to qualify for the championship are a secret and you have to find them then beat them).**_

 _ **Amber: Along the way they met Tyson, a boy who grew up in a cave. He did Pokémon contests, in an attempt to prove any Pokémon could be beautiful. They get turned to stone, sans Tyson, who travels to Hoenn to free them.**_

 _ **Braedon: My turn! In Hoenn he meets a pair of twins named Willa and Carla. They helped him free the other prodigies, and the six of them traveled Hoenn together to beat that league. They did, then became famous as the Prodigy 6.**_

 _ **Argent: That's where we come in.**_

 _ **Braedon: Yep! Basically, the story was supposed to end there. But then XY was announced. So admist the hype, Titan created a new sequel-**_

 _ **Titan: Bury me in Satin, lay me down on a bed of roses-**_

 _ **Braedon: Drama Queen. To continue, the story was that Argent, a knight from thousands of years ago and AZ's son, was resurrected by Yvetle and Xerneas to protect their chosen heroes, Amber and Braedon. Amber could heal Pokémon. Braedon (moi) could make them sick. So they went on a journey, saved the day, then Argent and Braedon became boyfriends.**_

 _ **Braedon: At the same time, as all of this, a writer named Juliet was stuck. She made a very public bet to write a better adventure novel than her rival author. And then two travelers (who's names are lost in time) enter her life, on the search for the legendary Pokemon Zygarde in Sinnoh (for some reason), giving her the inspiration for a new story. So she travels with them to help write her story. They also save the world.**_

 _ **Argent: My turn, I suppose. The final installment involved a new school opening up to teach trainers in Johto. Amber, Braedon, Argent, and many random game NPCs were students. The school had Topher, Allison, Dino, Tyson, Willa, and Carla as teachers (and they made the illogical choice to give up their lives and careers to do this?). Juliet and her compatriots are also teachers, and four new students are the new main characters. And the legendary Pokémon each choose a trainer to fight and adventure ensues.**_

 _ **Titan: Now my shame has been laid out in the open.**_

 _ **Braedon: not all of it. Remember all the couples and the random filler where the characters do nothing important-**_

 _ **Titan: Shhhh! Anyway, the reason we're sharing this with you is because I thought in order to move forward as a writer, I'd need to let go of my past. So I created 3 new OCs who are not connected to this original idea. Not that I don't love Amber, Braedon, and Argent (dear God I do), but I want to start fresh.**_

 _ **Amber: So the three of us our here to Welcome the new characters.**_

 _ **Braedon: well, that's why we were here originally, until Titan realized that the new OCs weren't ready-**_

 _ **Argent: But we're also here to say thank you. You all have supported us throughout this entire journey, and basically kept us alive.**_

 _ **Amber: We're really grateful for all of you reviewing and commenting and shipping and favoriting and following this story! You guys makes all of us so happy!**_

 _ **Braedon: And she means all of us, Titan too! You know when you're reading or watching something and something happens that makes you squeal and have spasms and laugh? That's what he does when he sees a review.**_

 _ **Titan: It's true. You guys make my day everyday, which is damn impressive considering I don't know your names. I really love you guys and I'm going to be really sad to see this story go. But we have about 20-30 chapters left (that's stretching it), so lets make the most of it. I guess now we need to sign off...**_

 _ **Argent: Good bye, young readers! Make sure you keep reading and loving fiction. That is one of the purest loves out there. I'm so proud of you all.**_

 _ **Amber: And stay kind, gracious, and giving! That doesn't mean let people walk all over you. Be sweet**_

 _ **and tough! Stay safe.**_

 _ **Braedon: Also, remember that you're beautiful! Even if you think you look ugly, the people who love you don't. And neither do we. Love you guys.**_

 _ **Titan: And I guess that's it. See you guys next time.**_


	76. Chapter 72: Round 5 - Climax

_"Hello folks and Welcome to the final Round of the Santalune Tournament, hosted here at The Santalune Gala! Rhodes Lancaster is not here, so he's forfeit his spot in the competition. That leaves Amber Dupont to take his place! Braedon Lovette and Amber Dupont are long time best friends from the same school, the very prestigious Cyperus Academy! Both are also members of the Prodigy Program, meaning that this match will be one to watch!"_

Amber looked at the crowd around the battle. Some were holding cameras, broadcasting the performances to the rest of the party and the town. Amber couldn't see any of her friends,

"Amber!"

Amber looked to her left. Argent had pushed his way through the crowd. He looked worried.

Suddenly, Amber's Holo buzzed.

 _I can't find Sapphire, Ken, Rhodes, or Leeland. They're not answering texts either._

Amber locked eyes with Braedon across the field, then they both looked at Argent and nodded. He took off through the crowd to look for their friends.

" _This will be a three-on-three battle, league rules, no items. Substitutions allowed. First move goes to the trainer with the lowest Level Pokemon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"_

 _"_ Tyrunt!"

"Sableye!"

Tyrunt and Sableye appeared on the field in cascades of light. Both Pokemon looked at their trainers expectantly.

" _And let the final match begin!"_

* * *

Argent ran through the ballroom, bumping into disgruntled people as he did. He could care less. His friends needed him. There was no way all of them disappearing at once was a coincidence.

Argent cursed himself. How could he have forgotten about the Church? They were still after him and his friends. And they were willing to hurt their loved ones to do it.

 _No. I shouldn't jump to conclusions._ Argent thought. _But just in case…_

Argent kept running.

Finally, he reached the courtyard. It was empty- everyone was inside, watching the match. Argent cursed and ran down the path to the hedges. Their was a maze nearby. Maybe some of them got lost in there…

 _"Argent Lancaster."_

Argent turned around, but the voice seemed to be coming from all directions at once.

 _"Age 17. Steel Type specialist. Level 6 Trainer. Son of Platine and Iridium Lancaster."_

"So you did your research." Argent said. "I'm not scared of you."

 _"But you used to be scared of Ghost Type Pokemon."_ The voice said. _"You would call your mother into your room at night. She would sing you 'Bye Bye Butterfree', because that was your favorite song."_

Argent felt like he had been stabbed. "How do you know that?!" He yelled angrily.

" _You once had a crush on your brother's best friend when you were fourteen."_ The voice continued. _"You like pistachio ice cream. You close your eyes when thinking hard."_

"Shut up!" Argent roared. "I don't care! Give me my friends!"

But the voice continued, spilling Argent's life into the night. _"You are dating Braedon Lancaster and your best friend is Amber Dupont. You don't like flying. You wear contacts. You-"_

"I said stop!" Argent screamed, pressing a button on his Pokedex. All of his Pokemon springed from his belt.

" _You can't beat me."_ The voice said. _"I'm not even here."_

Argent shook his head. Around him, his Pokemon seemed to be confused. They couldn't place where the voice was coming from either. But Argent didn't care. He felt safer with his friends around him.

"I'll find you." Argent cried. "And I'll beat you!"

 _"Argent!"_

Argent looked around again. "Amber?" He cried. He couldn't see her.

" _Argent please!"_ That was Rhodes.

 _"Argent!"_ Austin cried.

 _"Argent help!"_ His father screamed.

 _"Argent!"_

 _"Argent!"_

 _"Argent!"_

 _That was Braedon._

Argent balled his fists. "N-no! Leave them alone!"

 _"Then recall your Pokemon."_ The voice said.

"Dou?" Doublade said to him.

Argent nodded, then pressed the button on his Pokedex. "Return…"

* * *

Amber looked at Tyrunt. Him and Sableye were parrying attacks, trying to find an opening.

Her Holo buzzed.

 _I found them._ The text said. It was from Argent. _We're watching the match now. It's okay._

Braedon was smiling across the field from her. Evidently he got the same text.

 _That means I can go all out._ Amber thought. "Prepare to lose, Brae! Tyrunt, Stone Edge!"

"In your dreams, Am! Sableye, Dodge!"

Tyrunt stomped his feet, causing giant pillars of rock to erupt from the ground. Sableye did a back flip, then another, then another, moving right before the rocks appeared under him.

"Sableye, Shadow Sneak!" Braedon cried. Sableye rushed forward, becoming a shadow that slithered across the ground.

"Dragon Pulse!" Amber cried. Tyrunt began to shoot at Sableye, but he darted left and right. Finally, one of Tyrunt's attacks his successfully, knocking Sableye into the air.

"Dark Pulse!" Braedon commanded. Sableye created a swirling mass of black energy surrounded by red sparks, then shot it at Tyrunt.

"Dragon Tail!" Amber yelled. Tyrunt knocked the attack away with his tail, which was glowing with a green aura.

"Sableye, Nasty Plot!" Braedon cried. Sableye began to glow red.

"Tyrunt, Crunch!" Amber cried. Tyrunt ran forward and started snapping his teeth at Sableye, who dodged.

"Now, Sableye, use-"

" _Attention all guests. We are having an emergency lockdown. Please do not leave the building."_

The crowd started to stir and panic, talking amongst themselves.

Amber looked at Braedon. "Braedon! Did Argent text you where the others are?"

Braedon shook his head. "No. We have to find them! Sableye, return!"

"Tyrunt, return!"

The two of them met in the middle of the battlefield. Braedon pulled out his Pokedex.

"The tracer says they're outside." he gasped. "That means they're locked out of here!"

"We have to go find them." Amber said urgently. "Text Argent."

Braedon started to, but then he gasped. "It's Argent!" he said. He picked up the phone and put it on speaker.

"Argent, where are you-"

"This isn't Argent." The voice said.

Amber felt a chill go down her back.

"Who are you?" Braedon demanded. "Where's Argent?"

" _Down the main hall there's an Emergency door that is normally locked."_ The voice said. " _My Repented will cause a distraction. Go out the door and into the Santalune Forrest. I will meet you there with your friends. You know what will happen if you involve the police_." Then he hung up, leaving Amber and Braedon alone in the crowd.


	77. Chapter 73: Prodigies vs Fulgurite

When Gale was a little girl, she would always play on the beach with the Wingull. They loved her, and eventually one became her first Pokémon.

One day, while walking down the beach with Wingull, she came across what looked like a tree branch, only made of hardened sand. It seemed to have glass on it too. Thinking it was some kind of strange coral, she grabbed it and took it to her sister.

Her sister told her it wasn't coral, but fulgurite. When Gale asked what that was, her sister laughed.

"Fulgurite is what happends when lightning hits the sand." She said. "The sky is amazing, isn't it?"

Gale nodded. And she kept that fulgurite with her well into her adulthood. Because that was the day her sister left for school, and months later, their father disowned her for giving up on The Hallowed Church. It was the last memory she had of her.

That's how she knew the Fulgurite Triad would win. They were hand picked and trained by Gale herself, in honor of that memory. They would not fail her.

* * *

"Amber, what do we do?" Braedon asked. His sounded terrified. "They have our friends. They have Argent. This is it. We thought we could have fun and hang out with our friends, but we couldn't, they'll never leave us alone-"

Amber grabbed his face in her hands, pulling it to hers until they were forehead to forehead. She looked her best friend in the eye. "Braedon. First, you need to calm down. Me, Argent, our friends- we all need you. They want us to break. We have to beat them by being at our best."

Braedon bit his lip. "I-I understand." He told her.

Suddenly, someone screamed in the distance. Amber and Braedon both turned, but they couldn't see over the crowd.

Amber grabbed his arm. "We need to find that door." Amber said urgently. Braedon nodded, then they both took off down the hall.

The emergency exit was easy to find. The two of them quickly stepped out of it, then took off through the gardens. The Santalune forrest was close.

No one was outside- most were either at home or stuck at the Gala. Amber and Braedon entered the forest.

Amber and Braedon pulled out their Pokedexes and turned on the flashlights. The forest appeared empty, but that didn't make Amber feel at ease.

"We should be prepared." Braedon muttered to her. Amber nodded. They both pulled out a pokeball and opened them with the press of a button.

"Slur?" Slurpuff yawned. It was his bedtime.

"Salandit!" Salandit stood at attention.

Braedon looked at Slurpuff. "When did he evolve?"

"I gave him a Whipped Dream before the battle with Rhodes." Amber said. "It doesn't matter. We have to-"

"Braedon! Amber!"

"Argent!" They both cried, running further into the trees.

All of the sudden, Amber screamed behind him. Braedon stopped and turned to look at his friend. She was surrounded by a swirling vortex of sand.

"Go!" Amber yelled to him. "I've got this! Slurpuff, Fairy Wind!"

Slurpuff opened his mouth and blew out a gust of pink wind. It swirled in the opposite direction of the sand, canceling out the vortex.

Braedon nodded, then took off.

"Where are you?" Amber cried, looking around. "Say something!"

A figure stepped out of the trees to Amber's left. At his side was an Excadrill.

Amber felt like she had been punched. She sucked in a sharp breath, but felt like it wasn't enough air.

"I'm sorry Amber." Leeland said in his electronic voice.

"Leeland?" Amber choked out. "You-"

"That's not my name." He said. He looked on the verge of tears. "I am Bishop Volterre of the Shifting Sands. Please release your Impure Pokémon, or I will have to use force."

* * *

Braedon kept running, his breath coming up short. Several voices resonated throughout the forest, crying for help. He could hear Argent. And Amber. And Sapphire. Ken. Rhodes. His father. His mother-

Wait. Mom? Amber? Mom's gone... and Amber is still behind me.

Braedon immeadiately reached into his pocket and pulled out his Pokedex.

"Pokedex, " he said, "Quick Identify."

"Pokemon: Exploud and Chatot."

"I know it's not real." Braedon yelled into the night. "Show yourself!"

"What a smart boy." Out of the shadows stepped a boy. His hair was sandy yellow and curly, and he wore a sweater over slacks and khakis. On his right shoulder was Chatot, while on his other side stood Loudred. Loudred was holding a motionless form-

"Argent!" Braedon cried. "Let him go, you-"

"Braedon Lovette, Age 16, Dark Type specialist, student at Cyperus Academy." The boy said. "Boyfriend to Argent Lancaster. You were as predictable as I thought."

"So you know me." Braedon snarled. "Big deal. Let him go."

"Let him go!" Chatot mimicked perfectly.

Braedon felt his blood boiling over. "Salandit, Incinerate!"

"Salandit, stop." Chatot said, in a perfect imitation of Braedon's voice. Salandit looked confused.

"I didn't say that." Braedon told him angrily. "Salandit-"

"Pain Requiem." The boy interrupted smugly. Chatot opened its beak and Exploud's ears began to vibrate. Braedon heard nothing at first, but then a piercing sound hit his ears. He grasped them as the sound grew. Braedon cried out in pain, clawing at his ears.

"Stop!" He screamed. "It hurts!"

The boy grinned. "Prepare to bow to Bishop Joseph of the Shattered Glass." He intoned.

* * *

Masa sat boredly, looking like a twelve year old waiting for her friends. She wondered when one of the Prodigies would show up. Then again, they probably ran into her Bishops and lost. But she could still hope.

"Masa."

Masa looked up. Standing across the tranquil field was the cure for her boredom.

"Agent Thompson! Livvy!" Masa squealed in delight. "I've always wanted to meet you!"

Olivia Thompson looked at her grimly. "Where are the kids?"

Masa giggled. "Ooh, you're on top of things, aren't you?" She said cheerfully. "Nice job. But I thought I dealt with that nasty traitor who was feeding you information."

Olivia set her jaw. "I got enough information, thanks. Now I'll ask you once more- where are they?"

"Don't be silly!" Masa chided, wiggling her finger. She slid off of the rock, Pachirisu scurrying to her side. "It's super-duper boring if I just tell you! I could have had the Prodigies in seconds if I had been as direct as you! But where's the fun in that?"

Olivia's Gourgeist moved to shield her. "Geist." She growled.

"I will beat you." Olivia snarled. "And the Prodigies will beat your Bishops. I'm sure of it."

Masa smiled. "Don't you know who we are?" Masa asked.

"Members of the Hallowed Church." Olivia said.

"No, silly! Well, yeah." Masa smiled wider. "We're the Fulgurite Triad. Outside of Head Priest Gale, I'm the strongest member of the Church. And my Bishops are the strongest Bishops. You can't beat me."

Olivia took a step back.

"Time to play." Masa said hungrily.


	78. Chapter 74: Storm

Leeland- no _Volterre_ , stepped forward and pressed a button on his com-bracelet. "Sand Tomb."

"Dodge!" Amber cried. But nothing happened to Slurpuff. Amber began to sink into the ground. She screamed.

"Stop, Leeland!" Amber cried. Slurpuff jumped to her and tried to pull her out. "Please!"

Leeland just shook his head. "I'm sorry Amber." His com-bracelet said again.

Amber felt her body heat up, her fear disappearing. "Sorry? You're sorry?" She shrieked. "You used me and my friends, took advantage of our kindness, and now you're trying to hurt us! Your apology means nothing to me, do you understand? Slurpuff, attack Excadrill! Energy Ball!"

Slurpuff turned away from her and shot a ball of green energy at Excadrill. It slashed the attack apart as if it were nothing.

"Keep at it, Slurpuff!" Amber cried. She pulled out a Pokeball. "Go, Vivillon! Rage Powder!"

Vivillon appeared and spun in a circle, surrounding herself with red powder. Excadrill began to shoot mud at her, but the attacks slid off as if they were nothing. While Excadrill was distracted, Slurpuff shot another Energy Ball at it, knocking it into a tree.

Volterre pulled out another Pokeball. From it sprang Golem. "Rock Throw." Golem created a rock in it's hands, then launched it at Vivillon, who slashed it to bits using Aerial Ace.

"Crush Claw. Rollout." He intoned. Vivillon and Slurpuff blocked the attacks.

 _He's not fighting to his full abilities._ Amber thought. _He's stalling until I sink._

Amber pulled out a third Pokemon. "Tauros! Pull me out!" Amber yelled.

Tauros appeared, and immediately yanked her out by grabbing her dress with his mouth. Amber scurried onto his back.

"Mudsdale." Volterre said. Mudsdale appeared in a flash of light as his Pokeball opened. Leeland got on his back.

"Giga Impact!" Tauros charged forward, both him and Amber glowing with a silver aura.

"Bulldoze." Volterre commanded. Sand surrounded them like a veil as they charged.

The two of them headed straight for each other at high speeds, but Amber knew what to do. She veered slightly at the last second, so she ran past him and Tauros's horn scratched Mudsdales side. Mudsdale reered, flinging Volterre off.

Leeland fell to the ground, and Amber ran to him, her anger being replaced with worry.

"Leeland?" Amber cried as he laid motionless. "I didn't mean to k-"

"Tauros!" Amber turned around. Mudsdale rammed Tauros into a tree, uprooting the tree and knocking it down completely.

Suddenly, Amber felt hands on her throat and she fell to the ground. Leeland was choking her- she saw Vivillon and Slurpuff trying to help her, but getting intercepted by Excadrill and Golem- she felt something wet fall to her neck-

Amber kneed him in the gut, and he sucked in air. Amber pushed him off of her and scurried to Vivillon and Slurpuff. Slurpuff had fainted, as had Tauros. She returned her fallen friends and looked at Volterre.

He was sobbing, his breaths coming out in quick bursts. His Pokemon clamored to his side.

Amber balled her fists. She couldn't let him beat her. Not in this battle, or in the game of emotions he was playing. "I'm not falling for that ploy again. Vivillon, Hurricane!"

Vivillon nodded and cried out in anger, flapping her wings. A storm started, rain falling all over the field. Wind roared in Amber's ears.

"You can cry all you want!" Amber screamed above the storm. "I don't care! You've run out of chances!"

* * *

Salandit launched himself at Chatot, who laughed.

"Statue Requiem." Joseph said. Braedon felt his muscles lock up. Joseph laughed as Salandit became still in midair and fell to the ground.

"My requiems are special songs that allow me to immobilize, hurt, or even kill my opponents." Joseph said smugly. "You two can't possibly win. Not against a trainer of my caliber. Now, let's finish them. Morpheus Requiem."

Braedon clutched his ears as he began to feel drowsy. Water fell on him. It was raining?

Suddenly, the wind roared, and Braedon no longer felt tired. He couldn't hear the requiem. Joseph looked confused.

"Thanks, Amber." Braedon muttered. He pulled two Pokeballs out of his pocket and threw them. "Go, Crawdaunt, Pangoro! Double Night Slash!"

Both Pokemon appeared and slashed at Chatot and Exploud, who flew backwards. They didn't get up.

"I bet those two have never fought a day in their life!" Braedon cried over the wind and rain. "I think it's time for a counter attack!"

* * *

"Seed Bomb!" Olivia cried. Gourgeist shot a volley of seeds at Pachirisu, who dodged each one with ease. It giggled, clearly having a great time.

"Pachy, use Thunder Fang!" Masa cried in her childish voice. Pachirisu rushed forward and rammed it's teeth into Gourgeist, who cried out as his whole body became illuminated with electricity.

"Gourgeist, Giga Drain!" Olivia commanded. Gourgeist glowed green and Pachirisu glowed red as Gourgeist stole it's energy.

"Now, throw it off!" Olivia cried, Gourgeist grabbed Pachirisu and flung him away.

"You're doing so good, Livvy!" Masa yelled happily. "Pachirisu, Thunder!"

Pachirisu's eyes turned blue. From the sky, an enormous bolt of lightning came down and hit Gourgeist.

"Geist!" she cried as he fell to the ground.

Olivia nearly cried. That was the strongest thunder she had ever seen. But she had to stay calm.

"Go, Delphox!" She cried. Delphox appeared and waved her wand threateningly.

"Cool, huh?" Masa asked. "Or should I say… Shocking? Haha! But it's about to get way better. Look up."

Olivia looked up, and a raindrop fell on her cheek. Clouds were gathering. The wind became strong.

"A storm's coming." Masa shrieked in joy. "Do you know what happens to thunder in a storm? It gets stronger!" With that, Masa smiled. With her wet hair blowing in the wind and that grin, she looked like a demon of destruction.

How appropriate.

* * *

 _ **A/N: How will they beat Masa, Joseph, and Volterre? Was Amber using Hurricane a good or bad idea? Who will win? Find out next time!**_

 ** _(also, remember to suggest fire types for Loihi's starter!)_**


	79. Chapter 75: Prodigies vs Sand!

Volterre's com-bracelet was Amber's saving grace.

Every time she looked at his face, his contorted, pained face, she felt broken and angry and righteous all at once. But the voice of the com-bracelet was what gave commands, so it was what Amber focused on. The Com-bracelet betrayed no emotions- and it didn't draw out any in her.

"Vivillon," Amber yelled, "Keep the Hurricane going! Tyrunt, Circle Stone Edge!"

Amber threw a pokeball, and Tyrunt appeared. He stomped, and a circle of stones appeared, pointed upward and inward, around Mudsdale, Excadrill, and Golem.

"Brick Break." Volterre's bracelet commanded. The stones exploded into bits.

But, unfortunately, Golem wasn't made for rain. It fainted.

Volterre returned him. "Rock Throw." He said, pointing to Vivillon. Excadrill began to create and hurl rocks at Vivillon.

"Dodge!" Amber cried. Vivillon began to dart left and right as a barrage of rocks flew at her. But one hit, knocking her out of the sky.

Amber returned her as the rain and wind came to an abrupt stop.

"Please give up." Volterre said in his emotionless voice. Amber clinged to the sound.

"No!" she cried. "I won't!"

Amber felt like sobbing. All of this was her fault. She's the one who brought Leeland into their lives. She's the one who trusted him. How could she have been so naive?

Amber started to cry.

"Ty!" Tyrunt snarled. Amber looked up. Tyrunt was snarling at Volterre, looking livid.

"Tyrunt _…"_ Amber said, wiping her eyes uselessly. "You're incredible. Thank you."

"Amber, I'm sorry." Volterre said.

Tyrunt growled, and rocks exploded from the ground, launching Mudsdale and Excadrill into the air. The landed in the mud on their sides.

"I don't want your apology." Amber snapped, balling her fists. "I have people who actually care about me, and I don't need you!"

"Tyrunt-runt!" Tyrunt roared.

Volterre took a step back, like he had been slapped. He recovered quickly, pulling out a pokeball and throwing it. Diggersby appeared. "Hammer Arm."

"Strength!" Amber yelled. Tyrunt grew in size and rammed headfirst into Diggersby's ears, blocking them.

"Keep going, Tyrunt!" Amber yelled. "I believe in you!"

Tyrunt pushed against Diggersby, struggling for dominance.

"Tyrunt!" he cried as he began to glow. His tail elongated, growing spikes. His body became longer and more muscular.

"Tyrantrum!" he roared, throwing Diggersby backwards.

"Tyrantrum," Amber yelled, "Stomp!"

Tyrantrum brought his foot down on Diggersby, who rolled out of the way.

Leeland threw two more pokeballs, letting out Gliscor and Sandslash. Both Pokémon rushed at Tyrantrum.

"Vikavolt, Megahorn! Golett, Hammer Arm!" Amber yelled, throwing two pokeballs. Golett and Vikavolt launched out of their containers and met Gliscor and Sandslash head on.

"Tyrantrum!" Tyrantrum roared, shooting a giant ball of energy into the sky. Golett and Vikavolt jumped back in response.

The ball of energy split into hundreds, coming down on Leeland's Pokémon and causing a giant fiery explosion. Tyrantrum stepped infront of them to block the fire.

When the smoke cleared, they were all lying motionless on the ground. Leeland was on his knees, sobbing. 

* * *

" _Argent_!"

Argent groaned. His head was killing him. He sat up, looking around.

"Argent!" Braedon cried. Argent got his feet and ran to Braedon, pulling him into his arms.

"You two aren't escaping!" Joseph cried. He pulled out two Pokeballs. "Ditto, Transform!"

Two amorphous pink blobs appeared in front of Braedon and Argent. They began to shift and change into Crawdaunt and Pangoro.

Argent began to pull out a pokeball, but stopped when he noticed his surroundings. "The storm... it stopped." Argent muttered.

Braedon looked panicked, but his voice was even. "Go make sure Amber is okay." he said. "I'll handle him."

Argent nodded, then took off into the forest. He had no idea where Amber was, but she had to be somewhere-

"Thunder!"

Argent came to an abrupt stop as a bolt of lightning came down in front of him.

"Oops, you missed, Pachy. I'll punish you later."

Argent looked up. A little girl was standing in front of him. On her shoulder sat a Pachirisu. On her other side was a hulking yellow and black figure- Electrivire. He was holding a woman with long, curly black hair-

"What did you do to Olivia?" Argent roared.

Masa giggled. "She stood in my way, so I gave her a teeny-weeny shock." Masa said sweetly. "Just like I'm going to do to you."

* * *

"Pangoro, Body Slam! Crawdaunt, Dark Pulse!" Pangoro rammed into his double, who caught him by the arm and flung him into a tree. Crawdaunt shot a ball of pure black energy at her double, who knocked it back at Crawdaunt with a Crabhammer.

"Craw!"

"Goro!"

"Guys!" Braedon cried.

"My Ditto's do more than just copy." Joseph snarled. "I study my future opponents and each of their attacks, teaching my Ditto how to counter them perfectly. And I've studdied you three Prodigies, learning everything about you. You used to fight with your dad every day as a kid. You have never scored below an 89 on a test. You smile every time Argent sneezes because you think it's cute. I know everything about you. And the worst part is, you practically told me."

Braedon grinded his teeth. This was bad. How could he know everything about them? Braedon hadn't told them shit. Some of that he only told Amber and Argent, who probably didn't-

"Leeland." Braedon realized. "The sand vortex earlier, that was him, wasn't it? He betrayed us."

Joseph smiled triumphantly. "His name is Volterre. And you can't betray someone you were never allied with, Braedon Lovette."

"So he just asked out Amber to get information for you?" Braedon said angrily.

"Well, I also did my own research through your opponents and past conquests." Joseph explained. "Like I said, you told me all about yourself."

Braedon was shaking. "You- you-"

Suddenly, Braedon heard an explosion behind him.

"Amber!" He cried. "Argent!"

Joseph laughed. "Well well. That wasn't a Pure move. Looks like your friends beat Volterre."

Braedon let out a sigh of relief. They were safe.

"Poor Volterre." Joseph continued. "I wonder how your friend will feel now that she's committed murder."

Braedon paled. "She wouldn't- "

"Not directly, no." Joseph said. "But Arch Bishop Masa isn't as tolerant as the other Arch Bishops. The Fulgurite Triad must be perfect. So failure means death by our Arch Bishops hands."

Braedon took in a sharp breath. "No. He-he already lost to her once, and he's still alive. You're lying."

Joseph smirked. "Afraid not, Prodigy." He said. "He let her win that time, as part of my plan. But now, he's good as done for. And poor little Amber will only have herself to blame."

"It's not her fault!" Braedon shouted.

"But who will she hold responsible?" Joseph said. "Face it. This will break her. You lose either way."

"I won't let you do this." Braedon cried.

In the distance, they heard a female scream.

"I already have." Joseph said.


	80. Chapter 76: Prodigies vs Glass!

Braedon was seeing red.

"Oh, you look angry." Joseph teased.

Braedon growled. "Angry? You hurt Argent. You helped break Amber's heart. You captured the rest of my friends. Angry? _I'm fucking pissed._ Dynamic Punch, Crabhammer!"

Pangoro rushed forward, his fist glowing with an aura the color of blood. "Goro!" Pangoro cried as he punched his double, knocking him back.

"Craw!" Crawdaunt yelled as she began to parry water strikes with her double.

"Salandit Clear Smog!" Braedon commanded. Salandit rushed forward, spraying white smoke from his mouth at Joseph.

"Go, Ditto!" Joseph yelled, throwing a pokeball. "Thunder!" Ditto appeared and quickly became a Heliolisk, shooting a bolt of thunder at the smog, causing an explosion. Braedon coughed as smoke went in his lungs.

Meanwhile, both Ditto had gained the upper hand on Braedon's Pokémon, knocking them back. They both fainted.

"Return!" Braedon said, returning them to their Pokeballs. "Go, Kecleon, Sableye! Wrap them up!"

Kecleon's tongue shot toward Ditto-Pangoro, wrapping around him until he couldn't move. Sableye became a shadow and wrapped around Ditto-Crawdaunt's claws, forcing them closed.

"Ditto," Joseph called, "Dazzling Gleam and Thunderbolt!"

Ditto-Pangoro became smaller, her fur becoming blue and black as she grew fangs. Ditto-Luxray sent a jolt of thunder toward Kecleon, who cried out and retracted his tongue. Ditto- Crawdaunt became a blue rock with gemstones on their body, before shining brightly, flinging Sableye back.

Meanwhile, Salandit and Ditto-Heliolisk were parrying shots of fire and thunder, trying to hit the other.

"See?" Joseph gloated. "I know the perfect Pokémon to defeat yours! Luxray's X-ray vision will be able to find Kecleon if it disappears, and Sableye's only weakness is the Impure Fairy Types! Meanwhile, Heliolisk is just as fast as Salandit! You lose, Braedon Lovette, because my calculations are perfect."

Braedon balled his fists. "You honestly think my Pokémon aren't trained to counter their weaknesses? Kecleon, Camouflage into a Ground Type! Salandit, Smokescreen! Sableye, Mean Look!"

Kecleon's skin turned brown as a jolt of electricity hit him, going straight through him. Salandit shot a cloud of black smoke straight at Joseph, causing him to stagger back. Sableye glared at his three Pokémon, trapping them in place.

"No!" Joseph coughed.

"Now, Salandit, Clear Smog on Carbink! Sableye keep them in place! Kecleon, Sucker Punch and Slam!"

Salandit shot a cloud of white smoke at Ditto-Carbink, knocking him out. Kecleon shot at Ditto-Luxray and Ditto-Heliolisk, punching Heliolisk and slamming Luxray down with his tongue.

"No!" Joseph coughed again. He pulled out a pokeball, but Kecleon wrapped his tongue around Joseph, forcing him to drop it.

Braedon was breathing heavily. "That's what you get for hurting my boyfriend." Braedon muttered.

* * *

Argent felt almost animalistic. He wanted to rip the little girl to shreds.

"Let Olivia go." Argent snarled.

Electivire put Olivia down and stepped over her.

"Make me!" Masa taunted.

Argent pulled out two pokeballs. "Scizor, Bullet Punch! Togedemaru, Gyro Ball!"

"Iron Tail, Dynamic Punch!" Masa yelled.

Togedemaru rolled toward Pachirisu, who knocked Togedemaru back with his tail. Electivire parried shots with Scizor, knocking him back.

"You're a smarty pants!" Masa cried. "You wanted me to use my Electric Type attacks! That way, Togedemaru would absorb the electricity with Lightning Rod. But I'm too clever for you! I used other attacks!"

Argent gritted his teeth. "If you're so clever, you would have had caught us way earlier."

Masa laughed. "Gosh, you're boring!" she said. "I'm the strongest Archbishop! I could have had you at any time! But I wanted to play. And here are my toys!"

Out of the forest came a Magnezone, and three people floated next to him, unconscious and held up by metal clamps. One had olive skin and mousy brown hair. The second had on roller skates and a helmet. The third had immaculately styled black hair.

"Rhodes!" Argent gasped. "Sapphire! Ken! Let my friends go!"

Masa giggled as Olivia was lifted in the air next to them. "That ruins the fun! Don't you know how to play Shock Shock Swanna?" she asked.

"Togedemaru, Iron Tail! Scizor, Guillotine!" Argent yelled. "Take out Magnezone!"

Both Pokémon rushed forward, but Pachirisu knocked Togedemaru back with a Slam Attack, and Electivire blocked Scizor with a Low Sweep.

Togedemaru couldn't take anymore. He fainted.

Suddenly, Sapphire screamed. She lit up as Magnezone shocked her.

"No!" Argent cried.

"Every time you lose a Pokémon," Masa giggled, "Your friends lose too! Magnezone shocks them!"

"No." Argent gasped. "Then I won't attack! You'll have to kill me!"

"No, I'll kill them." Masa grinned maniacally. "If you quit, so do their hearts! And if you lose, you all get a taste!"

Argent took a step back. "Y-You can't!" He stuttered.

"Who's going to stop me?" Masa asked sweetly.

"Gravity!"

"Dig!"

Suddenly, Magnezone slammed into the ground. Literally a second later, Sableye and Kecleon erupted from the ground under Magnezone, sending them into the air. Magnezone crashed to the ground, not yet unconscious but worn.

"What-" Masa gasped.

Amber and Braedon ran to Argent's side.

"Miss us?" Braedon asked, kissing Argent on the cheek.

"We're going to stop you!" Amber cried.

Argent grinned at Masa's surprised look. With his best friend and boyfriend by his side, he couldn't lose.

"Scizor, Bullet Punch!" Argent cried.

"Golurk, Bulldoze!" Amber commanded.

"Salandit, Incinerate! Sableye, Kecleon, grab our friends!" Braedon shouted.

Salandit shot a ball of fire at Pachirisu, who blocked it with a bolt of thunder from the sky. Scizor went for Electivire with steel fists, while Golurk rammed into Magnezone.

"We're not going to let you get away with hurting our friends!" Argent said. "You're up against the Prodigies now!"


	81. Chapter 77: Prodigies vs Thunder!

Masa grinned. "The Prodigies? You think that silly name scares me? I was trained by the leader of the Hallowed Church herself! You three don't stand a chance! Magnezone,Magnet Bomb! Electivire, Zap Cannon! Pachirisu, Ion Deluge then Hyper Fang!"

Magnezone began to shoot electrified steel balls at Golett, who dodged the explosions they left in their wake. Electivire unleashed a beam of electricity, which hit Scizor and and knocked him out. Pachirisu became surrounded by blue sparks, then ran forward and sank his teeth into Salandit.

"Return." Argent cried, returning Scizor. "Go, Kleki! Hyper Beam!"

"Electivire!" Masa cried. Klefki shot a giant beam of light at Masa's Pokémon, but Electivire jumped in its path. The attack didn't seem to faze it. In fact, Electivire was now glowing.

Masa giggled, jumping up and down in delight. "Ion Deluge turns Normal Type moves into the Electric Type, and Motor Drive means Electivire gets powered up by Electric moves! You're such a dummy!"

"I-" Argent started, but Amber didn't let him finish.

"Enough." she said in a voice unyielding like stone. "I'm done with your child act. I'm done with these games. And I'm especially done with your damn Church messing with me and my friends. So shut the hell up and battle. Golett, Hammer Arm!"

Golett flew forward and swung their arm at Electivire, who blocked it with his own arm. They pushed against each other, struggling to knock the other back. Golett clearly seemed to be at a disadvantage.

Masa looked at her curiously. "You sad a bad word. You must be really mad at me."

"We're mad at that backstabber, Volterre." Braedon said angrily. "But between the three of us, there's enough anger to go around, so don't worry."

Masa laughed. "You three really are dummies!"

"What's so funny?" Argent snapped.

"You really don't know, do you?" Masa asked him. "Well, Volterre was very naughty. He loved you!"

Amber shook her head, slamming her eyes shut. "I don't care! I don't want love from someone like you!"

Masa laughed again. Amber was beginning to hate her laugh. "But he's not like me. Not at all. In fact, he was a bad guy."

"What?" Braedon asked.

"Don't listen to her." Argent said. "She's just manipulating us like the rest of The Holy Legion."

"But don't you want to know what I mean?" Masa taunted.

"We don't care." Braedon snapped. "Just shut up!"

Masa pointed at Amber. "She does."

Amber's head was down, her eyes squeezed shut. A tear fell down her cheek.

"Amber…" Argent said softly.

"What a crybaby!" Masa squealed with delight. "You-"

"Just explain." Amber said in a throaty voice.

Masa tutted. "Well, Volterre wasn't a normal boy. He was a great battler, like you three. But an accident when he was a kid left him unable to talk, and he couldn't afford a Com-bracelet. So I offered him one, if he became my Bishop. But he wasn't like everyone else. Once he found out what the church was doing, he tried to quit. So I had to punish him! Many, many times. Now he works for me." Masa grinned as if telling a spooky story around a campfire.

Amber started to sob. "You're- you- you're horrible." She choked out.

Suddenly, Golett was knocked back. He collapsed, crying out for Amber. She went to run to him, but Braedon grabbed her. "Amber, no! Just return him!"

"You're the horrible one." Masa gloated. "You beat Volterre. Don't you know what happens to my Bishops if they lose-"

"Shut up!" Braedon roared.

"Oh, so you know." Masa said.

"No- I-" Braedon stammered.

"Braedon, please." Amber said in a low voice.

"She- she kills them." Braedon choked.

Amber covered her mouth. "No… no! I won't let you! Go, Tyrantrum! Dragon Tail!"

Tyrantrum erupted from his pokeball, knocking Magnezone and Electivire into a tree with his tail, knocking them both out. Pachirisu dodged the attack and sent a jolt of blue electricity through Tyrantrum, who roared.

"Go!" Masa yelled. "Plusle, Minun! Helping Hand!"

A red and a blue Pokémon appeared, raising their tiny fists. Pachirisu started to glow with a purple aura, before letting out a giant bolt of thunder on Tyrantrum. Tyrantrum roared and staggered back.

"Klefki, stop Plusle and Minun!" Argent called out. "Fairy Lock!"

"Help out Sableye! Power Gem!" Braedon yelled.

Klefki flew forward, glowing pink. Pink chains shot from Kleki, wrapping around Plusle and Minun. Sableye shot a spectrum of gemstones at them, hitting them head on.

Meanwhile, Tyrantrum was stomping left and right, trying to squash the fast and agile Pachirisu. But suddenly, Pachirisu fell into a hole. Seconds later, Kecleon emerged, holding the fainted Pachirisu.

"Electric Terrain!" Masa yelled. Plusle and Minun began to shoot out electricity, until the whole field was covered an aura of electricity.

"Now, Thunder!" Masa cried. Two bolts of lightning came down from the sky, one red and one blue, hitting Tyrantrum, who cried out in pain.

"Tyrantrum, hang in there!" Amber yelled. "We have to win!"

"Trum!" Tyrantrum roared, shaking the forest. Sableye and Salandit ran to his side. On his other side, Kelfki and Kecleon prepared to attack.

Then, Tyrantrum collapsed forward. Amber returned him and Golett.

"Go, Vikavolt!" Amber cried.

"Klefki, Crafty Shield!" Argent commanded. Kleki put up a pink barrier around the field, and the electricity dissipated.

"Thunder!" Plusle and Minun held up their hands, and twin thunder bolts shot from above at them.

Vikavolt flew forward, both attacks hitting him head on. "Vika!" he cried.

"Vikavolt eats electricity." Argent gloated. "Or did you forget?"

Masa groaned. "Meanie!"

"Sableye, Kecleon, dig!" Braedon cried. Both Pokémon jumped into the dirt.

"Plusle, Minun, Run!" Masa cried.

"Fairy Lock!" Argent cried. Chains wrapped around them, holding them in place. From under them, Kecleon and Sableye erupted. Plusle and Minun screamed as they were knocked into the sky.

"Megahorn!" Amber yelled out. Vikavolt rushed forward, hitting both Pokémonhead on and knocking them out of the sky. They fell to the ground, exhausted and done for.

"You- that's not fair!" Masa cried, stomping her foot. "I'm gonna tell Gale!"

"Give up, your finished." Argent said sternly.

"You only have one Pokémon left." Braedon said.

Masa smiled, and Amber felt a chill go down her back. "You don't know my last Pokémon, do you? She's so much fun! Go, Manectric!"

Masa threw a pokeball, and Manectric appeared. A blue pokemon with yellow spikes on its head like a mane, she had a anklet on her front right paw. The anklet had a stone in the center.

Masa pulled something from her neck- a similar stone.

Argent gasped. "No."

Masa grinned. "Manectric, time to destroy them!" she held up the stone, and Manectric began to glow. She grew hundreds of spikes all over her body. She grew in size, her fangs and claws elongating. The air itself crackled with electricity.

"Prodigies, meet Mega Manectric!" Masa cried.


	82. Chapter 78: King's Shield

Argent had fought many impossible odds. But a Mega Pokémon? How could he beat this opponent?

But he had to try. "Klefki, Fairy Lock!" Argent commanded.

"Vikavolt, Megahorn!" Amber yelled.

"Kecleon, Sableye, Sucker Punch!" Braedon cried.

"Manectric, Discharge!" Masa shouted,

All four Pokémon rushed forward, but Manectric unleashed a wave of blue electricity that knocked all the Pokémon back.

"No!" Braedon yelled.

"With just one hit…" Argent muttered.

They returned their Pokémon, staring down Masa.

"Don't you see?" Masa jeered. "It's hopeless! You can't beat me."

Argent looked at his friends. "Go." he told them.

They immediately started to protest.

"Hell no-"

"Argent-"

"No." Argent said firmly. "You two are out of Pokémon. You'll only get in the way. Go and get help. I'll protect our friends."

Amber looked ready to break down, and Braedon looked worn completely. "Argent…" Braedon kissed him quickly, before grabbing Amber's hand and taking off with her.

"This is futile." Masa said, sounding out the word as if she had recently learned it. "Mega Manectric is too powerful."

Argent returned Kleki and pulled out a pokeball. "I won't let you hurt anyone else! Talonflame, Flare Blitz!"

Talonflame flew out of her pokeball, surrounded by red hot fire. Manectric shot columns of thunder at Talonflame, who dodged left and right, hitting Manectric straight on. They both exploded, fire surrounding them both.

"Manectric!" Manectric cried, a jolt of thunder blasting Talonflame back. Talonflame fell out of the sky, fainted and smoking.

Argent thought.  
"Give up yet?" Masa asked.

Argent swallowed his fear. "Never." He swore, pulling out a pokeball. "Doublade, Sacred Sword!"

Doublade jumped forward, drawings his blades and slashing at Manectric, who dodged each attack with ease. Doublade retreated back to Argent.

Argent reached into his pocket. He had been saving it for an emergency, and this was definitely an emergency. Argent pulled out a Dusk Stone and touched Doublade's blade with it.

Doublade began to glow, his crest becoming a shield, and the swords merging into a larger sword that sat behind the shield.

"Aegis!" Aegislash cried bravely.

"This is dumb." Masa said. "Manectric, Wild Charge!"

Manectric became surrounded in an electric aura, and rushed at Aegislash, who blocked the attack with his shield.

"What?" Masa cried. "How did you block that attack?"

Argent grinned. "Aegislash in Shield Forme has one of the strongest Defense of all Steel Types. And in Blade Form, he has one of the highest attacks! Iron Head!"

Aegislash drew his sword, glowing and slashing at Manectric with his blade. Manectric flew backward, landing a few feet away.

"Thunder!" Masa yelled. Manectric's eyes glowed, and a bolt of lightning came down. But Aegislash sheathed his blade and blocked the attack with his shield, which was glowing.

"That was King's Shield!" Argent told her. "It blocks any attack!"

"You can't do that!" Masa shrieked. "Cheater!"

"You hurt my friends." Argent growled. "You don't get to talk about playing fair! Sacred Sword!"

"Thunder Fang!"

Aegislash flew forward, slashing at Manectric, who tried to bite Aegislash with electrified fangs. The two parried strikes, Fangs clashing against electrified teeth. Aegislash was able to force her back, but he seemed worn.

"Wild Charge!" Masa screamed.

"King's Shield!" Argent countered. Manectric rammed into Aegislash's shield, thunder and sparks flying everywhere.

"No!" Masa whimpered. "You can't win! I won't disappoint Gale! Electric Terrain!"

The field became shrouded in an electric yellow aura, sparks flying from the ground.

"Now, Thunder!" Masa yelled.

"Block it! King's Shield!" Argent commanded. But Manectric's Thunder was too fast. It struck Aegislash head on, lighting him up.

"Aegis!" He cried, falling to the ground.

"Aegislash!" Argent yelled.

"Now, finish him!" Masa yelled. "Wild Charge!"

"Retaliate!" Argent resounded.

Aegislash unsheathed his blade and met the electrified Manectric head on, knocking it back. She staggered to her feet.

"How-" Masa shrieked.

"It's called strategy." Argent said smugly. "Every time a Pokemon hits King's Shield, their attack decreases. So I calculated how many times it would take for Wild Charge to hit before it became ineffective. And Retaliate doubles in power when an ally has been defeated by the opponent. How many of my allies did you defeat, again?"

"That's not fair!" Masa sobbed, tears falling from her cheeks as Manectric struggled to stay upright.

"Actually it is." Argent said. "Manectric's main asset was her sheer power. So I turned that into her one weakness. You lose, Masa. Just like the rest of your Church, you've been defeated by a Prodigy. Sacred Sword!"

"No!" Masa bellowed. But she was helpless to do anything.

"Aegislash!" Aegislash cried as he slashed at Manectric, throwing her into the air. She sailed in a wide arc, changing out of her Mega form as she fell.

"NO!" Masa screamed, falling to her knees. "NO! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry- Alleos- Gale- I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay child."

Argent looked toward the sound. Emerging from the bramble was a slender woman in silver robes.

"Hello, Argent Lancaster." The girl said. "I am Head Priest Gale Of The Starry Skies. Prepare for battle."

Argent took a step back. There was no way he could beat a Level 10 trainer with his barely standing Aegislash.

"Freeze! Hands in the air!"

Argent felt his breath release as men and women in padded vests swarmed in, surrounding Gale and Masa.

"Gale Torrez, you are under arrest." Officer Jenny said.

* * *

"Argent!" All of them cried as he walked into the room. It was a flurry of hands and a tangle of limbs as they all fought to hug him. Braedon got him last, giving him an urgent, sloppy kiss.

"What's happened?" Sapphire asked. "All they told us was that the leader of The Hallowed Church was arrested, and-"

"She was." Argent said. "They told you nothing else?"  
Ken shook his head. "No. They just poked and prodded us like criminals!"

"They did what?"

Rhodes shook his head. "He means they questioned us, bro. I'm sorry. I should have realized that you were a Ditto, not my brother, and I wouldn't have got captured-"

Argent pulled his brother into another hug. "It's fine. I'm just glad you're safe."

"We all are!" Braedon cheered. "The Leader of the Hallowed Church has been arrested! It's finally over."

"Correct."

They all looked up. Olivia walked in, wearing a cast on her arm.

"Olivia!" Argent cried. "You're alright!"

"Thanks to you and your friends." Olivia said. "You three really came through."

"We all owe them." Ken gushed. "They saved us!"

Braedon smiled. "Half of it was luck though."

Olivia shook her head. "You don't bring down a cult with luck, Lovette." She said. "You three performed admirably-"

"What about Leeland?"

They all turned to Amber, who hadn't spoken this whole time besides greeting Argent when she hugged him. She looked haggard and worn.

"Volterre is in custody." Olivia said.

"But he-"

"Let me finish." She said. "With your testimony, he won't be punished. But he's suffered indescribable trauma after the whole ordeal. He's going to get the help he needs."

Amber nodded, her eyes watering. "Can we see him?"

Olivia nodded. "He's in the holding cell. I'll take you."

* * *

Leeland- no Volterre- looked worse than Amber felt. He had bags under his eyes, and his skin was loose and a shade paler. He seemed to be dead to the world.

"I'll leave you alone with him." Olivia said quietly, walking out.

Amber stared at him, waiting for him to notice her. But he seemed in his own world, one without light.

"Leeland…" Amber muttered. "I'm so sorry. I thought you betrayed us- but you were the biggest victim. They hurt you so much."

Volterre said nothing.

"Leeland… Volterre…" Amber muttered, a tear falling down her cheek. "She tortured you and hurt you. But now you're going to get help, okay? Please, talk to me."

Amber took a step closer, then screamed. The skin on his arms-

Olivia burst in. "Amber! Are you okay!?"

"His arms-" Amber sobbed. "They're bleeding-"

"Amber, it's okay." Olivia said, holding her. "He just hurt himself ripping off his Com-Bracelet. Shhh. It's okay. Shhhh."

But Amber couldn't stop crying.

* * *

Gale smiled at the screen as they carted away "Gale", aka her back up plan. How impressive of the Prodigies to force her to use it.

"Gale" was actually a decoy. After all, everything the authorities knew about the Church's leader began and ended with her name. Anyone could take the fall. And as loyal members of the Church, they all would.

On the screen, Masa laughed hysterically.


	83. Chapter 79: Three Months Later

Amber couldn't figure out why she was so happy this morning. The obvious answer was that Braedon and Argent were coming today, but there was something else.

Half-way through brushing her teeth, she figured it out. For the first time in three months, she hadn't had a nightmare.

Was it because her friends were returning today? Well, returning wasn't the right word- all three of them had went home. The Prodigy Program had been suspended, to be continued when the press and the attention died down. The festival had also been pushed back in their honor. Braedon had went home to his father, Argent to his Austin's house, and Amber to the ranch. There they stayed, talking via Holo almost every night, for the past few months.

"Recovery time." Amber's therapist had called it.

But now it was time to join her friends. For the first time in months, she was excited.

Amber rushed through getting ready, pulling on a yellow tank top and ripped jeans, running down the stairs. Her family was eating breakfast.

"Amber!" Jeremy said, overly happily. He was so obvious it almost hurt Amber. "Sleep well?"

Amber nodded, which was strange because this was the first time she had truthfully answered that question in months.

"Come eat." Uncle Jim told her. "You'll need your strength if you want see your friends today. Those two are a handful."

Amber rolled her eyes. At least Uncle Jim had grown to appreciate her friends. It helped how much Amber emphasized that they saved her life many times.

Uncle Jim fixed Amber a plate, and Amber teased him about his "Sorry, the Cook is Married" apron as she sat next to Aunt Lynn.

"Amber," Aunt Lynn started, taking another bite of sausage. Amber Braced herself.

Here it comes. Amber thought. "Yes, Auntie?" Amber asked.

"Are you sure you're ready to head out so soon?" She asked her.

"Dr. Monsave is." Amber said. "Remember?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure-"  
"Oops." Amber said, an edge in her voice. "I almost forgot about your degree in child psychology. Silly me."

"Amber, don't sass your aunt." Uncle Jim chided.

"Sorry." Amber apologized, though she didn't mean it.

"But she's right." Jeremy piped up, and Amber considered hugging him (not for too long. The boy rarely showered), "Dr. Monsave is a Professional. If he says she's alright to go, and she does, then she's ready. Right, Amber?"

Amber nodded. "Thanks, little bro." She said, smiling at him. "And yeah I'm fine. I'll be even better when I'm doing what I love with my best friends."

Aunt Lynn pursed her lips. "I just worry about you. First you don't tell us that you're being attacked-"

"I was worried you'd get hurt too-"

"And now you're going back into the world that nearly destroyed you." Aunt Lynn said. "I just want you to be safe."

"I will be." Amber said. "The Hallowed Church is gone. Ever since their leader was captured, trainer Purification has went way down."

"But it hasn't stopped." Aunt Lynn pointed out.

"Olivia says that's because their are still Repented stragglers from the church." Amber pointed out. "None of them are anything compared to Masa and Gale."

Uncle Jim put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Lynn, she's right. The Police and Dr. Mosave say it's safe for her, so all that's left to do is support her."

Aunt Lynn nodded. "Okay. But if anything happens, you call us immediately. Promise?"

Amber nodded. "I promise, Aunt Lynn."

Aunt Lynn smiled at her. "That's good. A Dupont never breaks a promise."

* * *

Amber sat on the outskirts of Vaniville, having walked there from Sandalwood. Ahead of her, Route 1 stretched out.  
Amber reached into her pocket for her Holo, intent on calling Braedon to see what was taking so long, but found it was gone.

"Missing something?"

Amber turned around. Holding her Holo was a boy with shaggy purple hair, sunglasses, wearing high tops and skinny jeans under a thin violet hoodie. He smiled devilishly, and Amber felt joy surge through her.

"Braedon!" Amber cried, tackling him with a hug. She felt him slip her Holo back into her pocket before hugging her back.

"Good to see you too, country girl." Braedon said, his voice croaky.

"Hello, Amber."

Amber let go of Braedon and hugged Argent, who wore jeans and a dark gray sweater vest over a lighter Grey shirt.

"He made us wait ten minutes for you to look for your Holocaster," Argent complained, "Just so he could make an entrance."

"Of course." Amber said. "He's Braedon."

Braedon laughed, then took her hand. Argent claimed her other arm.

"Anyone else having Deja Vu?" Amber asked.

Braedon nodded. "This is where we started our Journey. But Argent's with us this time."

"So everything's perfect." Amber said. Argent blushed.

"I suppose." He muttered. Then, in a louder voice, he asked: "Are we ready?"

Amber looked at Braedon, who grinned impishly, then at Argent, who was still blushing.

"Definitely." she said.

* * *

Amber, Braedon, and Argent shouldn't have had so much to catch up on, considering how much they had talked during their separation. But the three of them talked anyway- about their friends and family, their training, books and tv shows, etc. They talked about how Sapphire and Ken were traveling together now, how Rhodes stayed with Austin for a few weeks and they drove each other insane, how Olivia would be returning to work next week after her cast came off. All of them, sans Olivia, would be meeting them in Damascone Town, where they would all head to Cyperus City together.

They avoided the topic of Leeland, and for that, Amber was both grateful and offended. On one hand, she'd rather talk about infanticide. On the other, he deserved to be mentioned. Finally, Amber told herself to toughen up.

"Olivia told me Leeland's doing better." she said quietly.

"Oh?" Argent looked incredibly curious, be he seemed to be restraining himself. "How so?"

"He's still not talking," Amber said, "But he's eating and he isn't as expressionless."

"That's good." Braedon said softly. "But it's gonna take a long time to recover after what they put him through."

Amber nodded. "Yeah. Olivia says the fear of losing a match was what finally sent him over the breaking point. He was so scared of Masa, he just… Shut down." Amber bit her lip.

"Amber, stop." Braedon said firmly. "It's not your fault."

"Braedon's right." Argent supplied. "Logically, it's Masa's for hurting him. You did nothing wrong."

Amber nodded again. "I-I know." she muttered. "But I just feel so bad… I know we barely dated a week, but no one deserves to go through what he did. And now he's hurt, and I could have stopped it-"

"No Amber." Argent said. "You need to remember what Dr. Monsave said."

"'Leeland wouldn't blame me.'" Amber said. "And he's right. Leeland wouldn't. I'm sorry. We were having fun and I brought us down."

Braedon put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't be ridiculous. We're your friends. We're here to listen."

Argent nodded. "That's what friends do."

Amber felt a smile spread across her face. "Thanks, guys. Hey, let's stop to eat. I'm starving."

The three of them ventured off the artificial path of Route 1 to a bench nearby. They pulled out food and began to eat. Amber had forgotten how nice it was to sit down and eat with them- at the ranch, she felt like she had to be more mannered and polite while eating with her parents. But around her friends, she felt more liberated.

"Okay, let's feed the Pokémon." Amber said, pulling out her pokeballs. Normally they ate at the same time, but in fields like this Tauros had to be watched so he didn't eat the flowers, Crawdaunt and Vikavolt liked to start fights, etc. So they had to devote their entire attention to their Pokémon. "I want to meet your new additions. Come on out guys!"

"Everyone, let's eat!"

"Chow time!"

All the pokeballs flew into the air, releasing a small crowd of Pokémon. The Pokémon started looking around, before noticing that the familiar faces of the other trainer's Pokémon. Vikavolt tried to absorb electricity from the sparks emitted from Togedemaru's cheeks. Tauros hit his horns against Scizor's pincers in a pseudo high five. Pangoro began flexing her muscles for Golett, who looked jealous and awed. Crawdaunt began pulling out grass and throwing it up. Vivillon sat lazily on flowers and greeted Kecleon. Klefki and Slurpuff began to conversate. Salandit and Talonflame began to shoot flames in the air. Sableye crawled up Tyrantrum's tail to his head, where Aegislash floated, showing off his blades.

Two Pokémon stood away from the crowd. One appeared to be made of gears, with a steel ring around its body. The other was slender and on all fours, with yellow and violet fur.

"Everyone!" Braedon yelled. "Go say hi to Liepard!"

"Klinklang as well." Argent called.

The Pokémon swarmed around Liepard and Klinklang. Klinklang shifted his gears happily, but Liepard darted up a tree like a moving shadow.

"Sorry, Liepard is a bit Asocial." Braedon explained.

"You would be too if a crowd of Pokémon surrounded you." Amber argued.

"But Liepard hates Pokémon and people regardless of how many there are." Braedon said.

"Regardless," Argent said, "It is overwhelming. Everyone, please give Klinklang some space."

The crowd dispersed, each going to do their own thing. Amber and her friends began to distribute food.  
After lunch, they decided to have a Pokemon battle.

"Alright," Amber said, acting as referee, "This will be a one-on-one battle, no items or substitutions. First move goes to the trainer with the lowest level Pokemon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"

Argent threw a Pokeball, and Braedon did the same.

"Liepard!"

"Klinklang!"

Liepard and Klinklang took their spots on opposite sides of the field. Klinklang seemed to greet Liepard. "Klink Klink!" They said.

Liepard rolled her eyes. "Lie." She said lazily.

Argent scanned Liepard with his Pokedex, while Braedon scanned Klinklang.

 _"Liepard, the Cruel Pokemon. Their beautiful form comes from the muscles they have developed. They run silently in the night. Stealthily, it sneaks up on its target, striking from behind before its victim has a chance to react. Female. Moves Known: Foul Play, Feint Attack, Psych Up, Hone Claws. Ability: Prankster."_

"Klinklang, The Gear Pokemon. The gear with the red core is rotated at high speed for a rapid energy charge. Its red core functions as an energy tank. It fires the charged energy through its spikes into an area. Genderless. Moves Known: Gear Grind, Shift Gear, Zap Cannon, Lock-On. Ability: Clear Body."

"How about a bet?" Braedon said. "Loser has to pay for our next date."

"Our last one ended when Braedon got us kicked out of the restaurant because he wanted to pay." Argent explained to Amber.

"It takes two to argue." Braedon countered.

"You're insufferable." Argent replied with a grin. "But I accept. And I plan on taking us somewhere expensive when I win."

"You're evil." Braedon said. "I like that in my men."

"'Your men?'" Argent asked. "I better be your only man."  
"You never know…"

"Braedon, I swear to-"

"And, begin!" Amber called.

"Klinklang, Shift Gear!" Klinklang's red core began to glow as his gears rotated.

"Liepard, Feint Attack!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Yay, extra long chapter!_**

 _ **BTW, Damascone Town is a made up city on Route 22. Cyperus is the name of the town around the Pokemon League, also made up by me.**_

 _ **Also, no ones voting for fire types, so I may close the poll. Idk. Remember you don't have to be a Q user to vote, you can just comment on my fanfiction with your choice! I'm just not getting many votes, and I can't plan for this story without Loihi's partner Pokemon.**_

 _ **Also, I need a cover for this story. I'm not gonna beg for you guys to make one, but if you know someone who will and can point me in their direction, that'd be great.**_


	84. Bonus Chapter V

**_Hi! It's me again! And here's a random Q &A with my new characters, plus an update on how the story is going. Questions provided by my friends and moi._**

 **Q: Introduce yourself?**  
 _Api: Hey-o! It's Api Hanala, soon to be Pokemon Master!  
Loihi: I'm Loihi Ka'ena. Fire type specialist. The best of the best.  
Everest: Hi! My name is Everest Montgomery and I like Pokemon!_

 **Q: If you had superpowers, what would they be?**  
 _Api: Mind Control. Think of all the possibilities...  
Loihi: You worry me. I like the thought of dragon powers- hard skin, sharp teeth, and of course fire breath.  
Everest: Multiplying my self, because there's so much to do and not enough time!_

 **Q: Ideal Job?**  
 _Loihi: I want to become an island captain, I guess. Or maybe a police officer  
Api: A champion, probably!  
Everest: Does that count as a job? I'm on my way to becoming a Pokemon Physiologist!_

 **Q: Best Trait? Worst Trait?**  
 _Everest: My best trait? My smile! My worst? My frown!  
Api: You are so corny, I swear. I'm known for my awesomeness, so that.  
Loihi: By who? You're a Holonet star, not a celebrity. Anyway, my best trait is my courage and passion. My worst is that I can be a little... Assertive.  
Api and Everest: A little!?  
Loihi: Quiet you._

 **Q: Lie your most likely to tell?**  
 _Api: Sometimes I think "Everest can't possibly that dense" or "Loihi isn't going to go that far", but I'm always lying to myself.  
Loihi: I'd protest, but I'd honestly be lying myself.  
Everest: Same._

 **Q: What do you dislike about the other?**  
 _Api: I have a list. It's alphabetized.  
Loihi: I hate how Everest is always so moody and loud.  
Everest: I AM NOT. HOW DARE YOU._

 **Q: What's your guilty pleasure?**  
 _Loihi: I have none.  
Api: She's lying. She loves trashy reality shows-  
Everest: We all do! We watch them together!  
Loihi: ..._

 **Q: What was your childhood like?**  
 _Everest: It was lonely I didn't really have friends...  
Api: Don't worry. You have us now.  
Loihi: Yeah! And you have your Pokémon!_

 **Q: Biggest Inspiration?**  
Api: Diantha.  
Everest: My friends and Pokémon!  
Loihi: Definitely Senior Kiawe. He's so driven and talented...

 **Q: Best friend outside of each other?**  
 _Everest: My Pokémon!  
Loihi: Kiawe and the other students.  
Api: No one, really._

 **Q: What would you never do for 1 trillion Poké?***  
Everest: I'd never hurt someone for it!  
Api: Shoot, I would. Bye losers.  
Everest: Api!  
Loihi: *elbows Api*  
Api: Ow!  
Loihi: Anyway, same as Everest.

 **Q: Alolan Raichu or Kantonian Raichu?**  
 _Everest: THEY'RE BOTH SO CUTE  
Api: Alolan. It's way stronger.  
Loihi: Alolan as well._

 **Q: What do you have to say to future readers of your story?**  
 _Api: Get ready for an exciting adventure!  
Everest: And have fun!  
Loihi: Remember that none of this is possible without you guys motivating Titan to work hard! _

* * *

**_Story Update: Changed the plot. And by "changed", I mean it no longer has one. Mostly because Sun And Moon are adding/changing so much, so I need to play the games before I get the plot right. Not many votes for Loihi's starter, so go vote! Just leave a comment or review with your favorite fire type (not including Legendaries or pre-gen 7 starters). I believe I have the characters and their plot lines/dynamic done, so their's that._**

 **Quick Shout Outs to: Booklover7 , Earlgrey122, SYSdrago and UsagiAngelRabbit on Quotev, Legal-Eagle, Japaneserockergirl, Butterflypuss, Wild Claw, and What Lies Beyond on fanfiction, for being constant reviewers!**


	85. Chapter 80: Alone

That night, Olivia dreamed of her sister.

In the dream, they were hiding in the fields. Her sister was sobbing into her arms.

"Why does Daddy hurt us?" She asked Olivia.

Olivia held her close, shushing her. If Olivia had been in the position to explain, she would have told her that their father loved Alleos more than them, and their mother didn't love anything. But instead Olivia hid silently with her sister in the corn fields, waiting for the inevitable moment that he found them.

In her arms, Gale sobbed.

Olivia's eyes burst open. A dream. It was all a dream. A dream of her sister.

Olivia looked at her nightstand. On it was a picture of the two of them, a month before Olivia left home. They were holding each other.

Olivia should have expected the nightmares to come back, now that she was looking for Gale. It only made sense.

Olivia knew that Gale was involved with the Church somehow. But with the Church disbanded and the members being slowly arrested one by one, shouldn't Gale have turned up by now? Had she quit the Church? Was she in hiding?

Maybe Olivia's intel was wrong. Maybe Gale never even joined the Hallowed Church.

Olivia clutched the photo to her chest. _Gale, where are you?_

* * *

"Klinklang, Shift Gear!" Klinklang's red core began to glow as his gears rotated.

"Liepard, Feint Attack!"

Liepard pounced forward, disappearing and reappearing behind Klinklang. Liepard scratched at Klinklang's body.

"Klinklang, Zap Cannon!" Argent cried. Klinklang spun around and shot a close range beam of electricity, knocking Liepard back. Liepard landed a few feet away, before jumping back.

"Gear Grind!" Argent yelled. Klinklang began to shoot gears at Liepard, who dodged each one with grace.

"Lock-On, then Zap Cannon!" Argent commanded. A silver target appeared on Liepard's back, and it jumped into the air to dodge another electric beam. But the beam followed her, hitting Liepard in the back.

"Now, Shift Gear again!" Argent cried. Klinklang's red core began to glow again as his gears rotated.

"Foul Play!" Braedon cried. Liepard jumped forward, ramming into Klinklang. Klinklang fell to the ground.

"And the winner is Braedon!" Amber called.

Braedon grinned as they returned their Pokémon. "You're downfall was using Shift Gear so much." He told his boyfriend. "Foul Play turns a Pokémon's attack against it."

Argent nodded. "Noted." He said. "I guess I'm paying next time."

Braedon smirked and kissed Argent. Amber watched them flirt from afar. She felt like her heart was being squeezed painfully. It was like she wasn't even there. Amber felt incredibly lonely.

 _Don't be ridiculous._ she chided. _They're your best friends. You aren't alone._

But Amber just couldn't shake the feeling that she was all alone.

* * *

 ** _A/N: so so so sorry this chapter is short. I was trying to start updating on a weekly basis, but then a week passed and so much personal stuff has happened. On top of that, I'm sick today. Next chapter will be extra long, promise!_**


	86. Chapter 81: Damascone Town

"Cario!" Lucario cried, knocking Golett and Salandit back.

"Togedemaru, Rollout!" Argent cried. Togedemaru rolled into a ball, spikes out, and sped toward Lucario. Lucario jumed into the air, dodging the attack.

"Golett, Shadow Fire Rollout!" Amber cried. Golett grabbed Togedemaru, surrounding him with shadowy energy, then threw him at Salandit. Salandit shot a jet of flame at Togedemaru, surrounding him in fire that mixed with the black energy. It hit Lucario, knocking him back and exploding.

Togedemaru flew into the air, landing in front of Argent. Argent threw a pokeball. It opened upon hitting Lucario, sucking him in. It shook once, twice, thrice, then clicked, the button glowing red.

Amber ran over and grabbed the ball. "Nice! That combo move worked perfectly!"

Braedon high fived her. "It was amaze-balls!"

Argent raised an eyebrow. "'Amaze-balls?'" He echoed. "Am I dating a skater boy now?"

Braedon rolled his eyes. "You know you love it. Besides, I'd make an awesome skater boy."

Argent kissed him swiftly. "Definitely."

Amber cleared her throat, and they broke the kiss.

"So," Amber continued as if nothing happened. "We have caught Litleo, Pyroar, Dunsparce, Helioptile, Heliolisk, Riolu, and Lucario. So the rest of our Pokémon are on Victory Road."

"Then we get the scholarship." Argent said. "And head back to school."

"But first we need to meet Sapphire, Rhodes, Ken, and Austin in Damascone Town." Braedon said. "How far are we, oh wise navigator?"

Argent sighed. "Well, idiotic boyfriend, we're approximately an hour away."

"Then let's go!" Braedon cried, grabbing his boyfriend and best friends hands.

Amber laughed. "Braedon, stop dragging us!"

* * *

Damascone Town was beautiful. Like Route 22, it was lush green, with trees and grass everywhere. Most of the houses were tree houses, or even better, built into the trunk of a large tree. Tropical flowers bloomed left and right.

Braedon grinned at Amber and Argent. "This reminds me of the time I visited Fortree city in Hoenn. That place is mostly in the trees too."

Amber whistled. "Makes sense that this place is so grand, since it's the entrance to victory road."

"'Damascone Town,'" Argent read from a Holo-pamphlet, "is a city built to help trainers on their way to The Pokémon League in Cyperus City. The city is rich with Pokémon and people, hosting a large population proportional to its size. Damascone is often referred to as The Town That Refreshes.'"

Truth be told, Amber felt far from refreshed. She felt more tired than before. Yes, she thought the town was cool, but she still felt-

 _No._ She told herself. _You're not allowed to think that. Today all your friends are here. You are not allowed to mope._

Then, as if on que, Braedon pointed. "Look guys! There's the café where we're meeting the others!"

Argent groaned. "It's in a tree? I don't want to climb..."

Braedon rolled his eyes. "We defeated a criminal organization, and you're worried about climbing a ladder? C'mon babe!"

"Never call me that again." Argent blanched as Amber laughed.

 _See?_ She told herself. _You are fine. Now climb._

But as Amber climbed the ladder, she couldn't help but feel like she was just putting off a bigger problem.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Hey guys! I'm posting the first Chapter of my Alola Pokémon story, Pokémon Heroes, as you read. Check my profile for the story. Please read it, I worked very hard. It's sort of an early access chapter, since the story doesn't come out for two months. Also, I need votes for Loihi's fire starter! All votes welcome!_**


	87. Chapter 82: Arthur and Andreas

As soon as Amber walked in, she got a punch in the arm.

"Hey!" Amber cried, looking around for her assailant. Hey eyes met azure ones.

"How's it going, Holonet star?" Sapphire said, grinning at her. She led them to their table, and after multiple introductions and hugs, Amber groaned loudly.

"Don't call me that." Amber told her. "I'm already verified on Pikipeki for no reason."

"Wait, what?" Austin asked. "Why are you a Holonet Star?"

Braedon sighed, pulling out his Holocaster. "You're definitely Argent's brother: You know nothing. Here." Braedon handed Austin his Holo. Argent looked affronted.

On it was a video of Amber commanding Tyrunt and Golett to use her improvised move, Psychic Dragon, at the Santalune Tournament, her face shiny from sweat and her hair a mess.

"The video is trending." Ken explained exciedly. "She's a star!"

"I look horrible in that video!" Amber groaned again.

"You sound like Ken or Braedon." Rhodes said with a laugh. They both looked offended.

"Lies." Braedon said. "I look twice as dramatic and sound way better."

"But she's totally right." Sapphire added, grinning. "She looked terrible." Amber kicked her under the table.

"Ow!" Sapphire cursed. "I was just agreeing with you!"

"You look fine." Argent reassured Amber, glaring at Sapphire.

"You look like you're going into battle." Ken added. "Totally badass."

Amber rolled her eyes. "I just wish my parents hadn't seen. I've gotten three lectures on Holonet safety so far."

They all laughed, before catching up with each other. Sapphire had taken on the Lumoise Gym, but still wasn't sure if she wanted to take on the Pokemon League, and Braedon recommended that she try Pokemon Contests. Ken regaled them of his cringe-worthy adventures on a new dating app called Ursr, to which Amber repeated a funny quote from her aunt about online dating. Austin had recently caught a Smeargle, a Pokemon he had wanted since childhood. Rhodes told them all about how he had caught a notorious criminal in Camphrier Town, and Austin and Argent both chided him on how risky he had been. All in all, it was a fun time catching up with friends.

After eating their full, they paid and went to a nearby battleground (which was thankfully _on_ the ground) to have a friendly battle.

"This will be a three-on-three battle, League rules, no substitutions or items." Austin announced, acting as an official referee. "First move goes to the owner of the lowest Level Pokémon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"

Braedon grinned at his friends, then threw a pokeball. "Purrloin!"

"Klinklang!" Argent yelled.

"Vikavolt!" Amber cried.

"Angel!" Sapphire shouted.

"Pinsir!" Rhodes said with a grin.

"Forretress!" Ken yelled.

They all scanned each other's Pokemon with their Pokedex.

 _"Liepard, the Cruel Pokemon. Their beautiful form comes from the muscles they have developed. They run silently in the night. Stealthily, it sneaks up on its target, striking from behind before its victim has a chance to react. Female. Moves Known: Foul Play, Feint Attack, Psych Up, Hone Claws. Ability: Prankster."_

 _"Klinklang, The Gear Pokemon. The gear with the red core is rotated at high speed for a rapid energy charge. Its red core functions as an energy tank. It fires the charged energy through its spikes into an area. Genderless. Moves Known: Gear Grind, Shift Gear, Zap Cannon, Lock-On. Ability: Clear Body."_

" _Vikavolt, The Mandible Pokemon. Vikavolt is an adept flier, capable of acrobatic maneuvers such as tailspins and sharp turns. Even as it weaves through complicated tangles of branches in the forest, it is able to maintain high-speed flight. Its huge jaws control the electricity it uses to fire beams. When it clasps a Charabug or other electric type in its legs, it is able to utilize it as an extra : Bug/Electric. Moves Known: Zap Cannon, Megahorn, Charge, Signal Beam. Ability: Levitate."_

 _"Persian, The Classy Pokemon. Kantonian Form. Persian has six bold whiskers that give it a look of toughness. The whiskers sense air movements to determine what is in the Pokémon's surrounding vicinity. It becomes docile if grabbed by the whiskers. It is hard to raise due to being very fickle. This Persian is Female. Moves Known: Play Rough, Night Slash, Screech, and Feint Attack. Ability: Limber."_

" _Pinsir, The Mandible Pokémon. Pinsir has a pair of massive horns. Protruding from the surface of these horns are thorns. These thorns are driven deeply into the foe's body when the pincer closes, making it tough for the foe to escape. This Pinsir is Male. Moves Known: Storm Throw, X-Scissor, Guillotine, and Superpower. Ability: Moxie."_

 _"Forretress, The Hard Shell Pokemon. Forretress conceals itself inside its hardened steel shell. The shell is opened when the Pokémon is catching prey, but it does so at such a quick pace that the shell's inside cannot be seen. This Forrestress is Male. Moves Known: Heavy Slam, Mirror Shot, Iron Defense, and Flash Cannon. Ability: Sturdy."_

"And... Begin!"

* * *

Andreas watched as the children began their battle.

"We're going to need help." Andreas said.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at Andreas. The two of them were in front of a screen at their base, watching the Prodigies. "Not really. We can take them all."

"You're over confident." Andreas said. "We need them alone. We'll bring repented."

Arthur sighed. "Whatever you say, Andy."

Andreas ignored the nickname. He knew protesting would just encourage Arthur.

"You know, Head Priest Gale is going to be pissed." Arthur said. "She gave us direct orders _not_ to mess with the prodigies until she gives the say so."

"If we win, she won't care." Andreas replied, annoyed. "And she just wants the Prodigies to herself."

"True." Arthur replied. "So when do we make our move?"

"When they get to Victory Road." Andreas said.

"Excellent." Arthur smiled. "Then we'll take them out."

"For Alleos." Andreas added with a small grin.

"For Alleos." Arthur echoed.

On the screen, the children shouted commands. They were clearly having fun.

 _Not for long._ Andreas thought.


	88. Chapter 83: Triple Battle

"Feint Attack!" Braedon and Sapphire yelled simultaneously. Both Persian and Liepard disappeared, reappearing in front of each other and slashing at each other. They both began to pounce on each other and disappear, dodging each other's attacks.

"Heavy Slam!" Ken cried. Forretress slammed into Klinklang, who flew back before ramming back into Forretress.

"I guess that leaves you and me, Amber!" Rhodes cried. "Horn Attack!"

Amber grinned. "Mega Horn!" Vikavolt and Pinsir began to trade blows with their mandibles.

Meanwhile, Braedon commanded Liepard to use Foul Play. Liepard rammed into Persian, who was skidded back, causing sand to billow around them like smoke. The sand hardened into multicolored crystals that shot at Liepard, who jumped back to dodge them.

"Your Liepard is fast." Sapphire said, impressed.

"I could say the same about your Persian." Braedon countered. "Liepard, Foul Play!" Liepard rushed forward, darting left and right so Persian couldn't tell which side she would strike.

"Angel, stop her with Screech!" Sapphire called out. Persian let out a loud roar, stopping Liepard in her tracks as she began to claw at her own ears.

Amber's Vikavolt was, at the same time, losing ground to Pinsir. Pinsir dealt a blow to Vikavolt's side, flinging him into the air.

"Zap Cannon!" Amber cried. Vikavolt caught himself in midair, then shot a beam of yellow energy and electricity at Pinsir.

"X-Scissor!" Rhodes yelled. Pinsir sliced in an x formation, slicing apart the beam.

Amber grinned. "Now this is fun. Megahorn!"

"Storm throw!" Rhodes countered. Pinsir rushed forward, grabbing Vikavolt by the mandibles and throwing him across the field.

On Argent's end, he told Klinklang to use Gear Shift. Klinklang shot gears at Forretress, who countered with shards of glass. The two attacks collided, causing an explosion.

"Shift Gear!" Argent cried.

"Iron Defense!" Ken shouted. Both Pokemon began to glow, Forretress spinning and Klinkland's gears turning.

"Now, Zap Cannon!" Argent cried.

"Flash Cannon!" Ken fired back. Both Pokemon shot beams of energy, one yellow and sparking the other metallic silver, that collided and created a ball of silver and gold energy. The orb exploded, knocking both Pokemon back.

"Guys, regroup!" Amber called. Liepard, Klinklang, and Vikavolt jumped back to Amber's side of the field.

"Klinklang, Zap Cannon on Vikavolt!" Argent cried.

"Liepard, Psych Up!" Braedon commanded.

Klinklang shot a beam of electricity at Vikavolt, who opened his mandibles and swallowed it. Liepard began to glow.

"Stop them!" Rhodes yelled. 'Storm throw!"

"Liepard, Foul Play on Pinsir!" Braedon yelled. Liepard jumped forward, ramming into Pinsir and knocking him back into Forretress. Pinsir fell to the ground.

"Nice job." Rhodes commended, returning Pinsir. "You used Zap Cannon to power up Vikavolt, then used Psych Up so Liepard could cpy all the power ups of Vikavolt and Klinklang."

"That doesn't mean you guys can win!" Sapphire shouted. "Angel, Screech!"

"Forretress, Iron Defense!" Ken called.

Forretress began to glow as Persian screeched, lowering all of the Pokemon's defense.

"Now, Heavy Slam!" Ken cried. Forretress slammed into Liepard, knocking her out.

"Lie..." She groaned. Braedon returned her.

"Due to Psych up," Braedon surmised, "Liepard copied the defensive drops, caused by Screech, of all the other Pokemon." Braedon grinned. "You guys are good too. I was hoping you didn't realize that."

Ken laughed. "I see everything, Braedon." he told him. "Forretress, Flash Cannon!"

"Signal Beam!" Amber cried. Vikavolt shot a beam of green light at Forretress, colliding with his beam.

"Angel, Night Slash!" Sapphire cried.

"Gear Shift!" Argent called. Klinklang began to shoot gears at Persian, who darted left and right to dodge them as she ran. Persian slashed at Klinklang, knocking them back.

"Fall back!" Amber cried. Vikavolt and Klinklang fell back.

"Double Zap Cannon!" Argent cried. Both Pokemon shot beams of electricity at their opponents.

"Power Gem!" Sapphire cried.

"Mirror Shot!" Ken shouted. Both attacks collided with the beams, causing a giant explosion that engulfed all four of them. When the smoke cleared, none of them were standing.

"And the battle is a tie!" Austin announced.

They returned their Pokemon, then decided to leave. Arguing on the way over who should have won, they headed toward Victory Road.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Definitely love triple battles, they're fun. Remember to vote for Loihi's starter! Also, on Quotev I published info on the new villains. Since not all of my readers use Quotev or want to go out of thei way to read it, I'm just going to put all the info in this chapter. Info on each member will be added to the end of the next seven chapters. And a note for my Fanfiction reviewers: Fanfiction isn't letting me respond to your reviews, but I promise I can see them on my email and I will reply as soon as the site fixes the bug. L9ve you all._**

 _ **Reader question of the day! Should my Prodigies make appearances in my new story?**_

* * *

 _ **The Black Horn Mission Statement: "We, The Black Horn pledge to dedicate our lives to the empowerment and safety of all Pokémon** **. We only wish for equality between Pokémon Types, focusing on the issues of all Pokémon but Dark Types in particular. As a group we pledge to unite people and Pokémon, and rid the world of the prejudice plaguing it."**_

 _ **Team Sable Mission Statement: "We, Team Sable, pledge to follow The Beasts into war against those who threaten Dark Types. They call us Evil. We pledge to live up to that name."**_

 _ **Info: The Black Horn was founded by Pokémon Rights Activists who wanted to end abuse and discrimination faced by Dark Type Pokémon (and to a lesser extent, other Types). However, a splinter group called Team Sable has recently emerged and claims that the Black Horn is ineffective- Team Sable claims more drastic measures must be taken to ensure the rights of Dark Types.**_

 _ **Leader :**_

 _ **Puea, Master of Shadows**_

 _ **The Six Beasts:**_

 _ **Kuula, Master of Traps**_

 _ **Stygian, Master of Illusions**_

 _ **Mamala, Master of Trickery**_

 _ **Haulili, Master of Fear**_

 _ **Hel, Master of Ice**_

 _ **Pele, Master of Chaos**_

 _ **The Shadows: Foot soldiers and grunts**_


	89. Chapter 84: Prodigies vs Dragonair

Before they headed to Victory Road, they had to find a Dragonite and Heliolisk on Route 22. After departing from their friends (they weren't allowed to help them catch Pokemon, or Amber and her friends would be cheating and lose the program), Amber, Braedon, and Argent were on Route 22.

"So, how do we find a Dragonite?" Amber asked Argent. "Aren't they supposed to be, like, crazy rare?"

Braedon laughed. "Don't worry Am. My boyfriend always has a plan. So what do we do, Argent?"

Argent shrugged. "Hell if I know."

Braedon dropped his hand. "That's it, we're breaking up."

Argent rolled his eyes. "I'm only kidding. Of course I have a plan." Argent pulled out his Pokedex. "It says here that Dragonite protect their young. So we just have to find a Dragonair or Dratini and beat it, then we're golden. We need those Pokemon anyway."

Amber nodded. "Well, Dratini and Dragonair live near water, as do Heliolisk and Helioptile. We just need to find water."

"Correct." Argent said. "Let's get going."

The three of them kept walking, enjoying the scenery. The route was lush with trees and Pokemon, from the small Spinda to the hulking Ursaring. After dancing with a few Spinda and petting the wings of a group of Swablu, they finally arrived at a river.

"Now to find a Dratini." Argent said. "How do we approach this... We could-"

"Move aside, Babe." Braedon said, pushing his boyfriend playfully. "I have a plan."

"I hate when you call me that."

"Sorry babe." Braedon said with as devilish grin. He pulled a Pokemon from his belt. "Go, Crawdaunt! Find us a Dratini!" Braedon threw the Pokeball, releasing his most fearless Pokemon. Cawdaunt appeared on the shore. Crawdaunt immediately jumped in the water, moving like a bullet through the previously calm stream.

"Crawdaunt will track down the strongest Pokemon in the water to fight." Braedon explained. "Which should be a Dragonair."

"Brilliant!" Amber cheered, high fiving Braedon. "Why didn't you take Pokemon Physiology in school? You're almost as good as me at it."

Braedon chortled. "The professor was hot, so I wouldn't have heard a word he said."

"You can enroll in the class when we get back," Argent suggested, "Since that should no longer be a problem."

"If that's what you need to to hear, then sure." Braedon replied.

Argent pursed his lips. "You are insufferable."

"And yet you're suffering me. What a champ you are."

The two of them began to Argue, ignoring Amber. Amber looked away, her eyes watering.

"Amber, you okay?" Braedon asked her.

Amber nodded, but before she could continue, the water exploded.

"Crawdaunt!" Crawdaunt cried, holding a Dratini by the tail.

"It didn't get the strongest Pokemon?" Argent said, confused. But then something else erupted from the water.

"Dragonair!" Two long, blue, serpentine Pokemon flew out of the water, knocking Crawdaunt toward Breaden. Crawdaunt somersaulted in midair and landed on her feet, still holding Dratini.

"No, she did." Braedon replied. "She just decided to mess with them. Nice one, Crawdaunt!"

Argent scowled and pulled out a pokeball. "Don't congratulate her! Go, Klefki!"

"Slurpuff!"

Slurpuff and Klefki appeared, blocking Amber and her friends from the Dragonair. They both began to swish their tails, the blue orbs glowing. The water began to rise into a wave.

"Klefki, Protect!" Argent cried. A barrier went around them, and the water crashed down, surrounding them. The barrier was surrounded by water.

"How is this happening?" Braedon wondered. "The water isn't draining!"

"They're holding it." Amber said. "To trap us. Dragonair can control the weather and all natural elements."

"How do we get out?" Argent said, his voice tight.

"Dig?" Braedon suggested.

"If we use dig, water might flood in." Argent said tersely. "Maybe we can wait?"

Amber shook her head. "No, that's too risky. Wait, I have an idea. Braedon, call out Liepard."

Braedon grinned. "I like how you think, farm girl. Liepard go!"

Liepard appeared, looking up boredly at the water floating above their heads.

"Feint Attack!" Braedon cried. Liepard disappeared.

"Feint Attack allows a Pokemon to disappear and reappear in a Pokemon's shadow." Argent remembered. "Nice work, Amber and Braedon."

"I try." Braedon said as the water came crashing down. Klefki let down the barrier.

Liepard was currently pouncing on the Dragonair, narrowly missing, which must have been what broke the Dragonair's concentration. Both Dragonair were dodging gracefully, almost teasing Liepard.

"Liepard, return!" Braedon said, returning her. "Crawdaunt, Ice Punch!"

"Slurpuff, Play Rough!"

"Klefki, Play Rough as well!"

All three pokemon rushed at the two Dragonair. A giant gust of wind came and blew them back. Their Pokemon kept trying to attack, but the Dragonair kept knocking them back with the winds.

"Damn, they're strong." Amber cursed. "Slurpuff, return!"

They all returned their Pokemon, pulling out new Pokeballs.

"Vivillon!"

"Talonflame!"

"Sableye!"

The three Pokemon appeared. The two Dragonair created another gust of wind, but Vivillon and Talonflame flapped their wings, canceling the wind with gusts of their own.

"Mean Look!" Braedon cried. An eye symbol appeared on the ground, holding the Dragonair in place.

"Now, Brave Bird!" Argent cried. Talonflame began to glow with a white aura.

"Precision Hurricane!" Amber cried. A swirling vortex of air surrounded Talonflame as she flew, pushing her forward. She rammed into the two Dragonair, knocking them out in one hit.

Amber and Braedon threw a Pokeball, catching them. The balls shook once, then again, then clicked.

Amber picked up the Pokeballs, pocketing them. "Great job guys, I-"

Amber stopped, seeing that Braedon and Argent were talking to each other, celebrating.

 _They already forgot I was upset earlier...?_ Amber thought, feeling her eyes sting. She turned away.

"Dragonite!"

They all looked up. Flying above them, clearly pissed, were three Dragonite.

* * *

 ** _A/N: As promised, here's the bio of one of Team Sable's members, Beast Kuula:_**

 _ **Title: Kuula, Master of Traps  
Age: 17  
Height: 5'5  
Gender: Female  
Appearance: Curvy and bright eyed, Kuula has long black hair that falls past her shoulders and wears a flowery white sundress with a white sun hat. Her eyes are gray.  
Description: Kuula loves to play games and trap others, and tends to have fun with those who have the misfortune of becoming Team Sable's enemy.  
Partner: Persian**_


	90. Chapter 85: Prodigies vs Dragonite

Amber reacted instinctively. "Vivillon, Hurricane!"

Vivillon flapped her wings, and a storm brewed. The wind became ferocious, the rain torrential, the sky black. The Dragonite's ignored this, swooping down on them. Talonflame met one Dragonite head on, slapping it away with a wing. Sableye jumped onto the other Dragonite's back, becoming a shadow and wrapping around it's body. Vivillon used flash, blinding the third Dragonite and causing it to stop in midair.

"I can't use Brave Bird again." Argent shouted over the rain. "Talonflame won't be able to handle it!"

"Stop the storm, Amber!" Braedon said. "We'll switch Pokemon!"

But it was too late. Dragonite had recovered, and slashed at Vivillon, who fell to the ground. The storm stopped.

"Return!" All three of them shouted. They returned their pokemon and threw another Pokeball.

"Slurpuff, Play Rough!"

"Klefki, Play Rough!"

"Crawdaunt, Ice Punch!"

All three pokemon appeared and began to spar with one of the Dragonite. Crawdaunt peppered Dragonite with frozen hits, freezing parts of his body. Klefki and Slurpuff scratched, bit, and punched their Dragonite while glowing pink.

"Dragon!" They roared, growing in size. All three began to glow red, pounding on their attackers.

"Crawdaunt!" Crawdaunt cried as she fainted. Braedon returned her and pulled out another pokeball.

"Pangoro!" Braedon cried. "Sucker Punch!" Pangoro punched one of the Dragonite in the gut, causing it to stagger back. All three began to fire giant beams of energy into the sky.

"What are they doing?" Amber cried.

"Outrage left them confused!" Argent replied.

"How do we stop them?" Braedon yelled.

"Fairy Lock!" Argent shouted. A chain made of pink energy shot from Klefki and wrapped around the three Dragonite.

"Play Rough!" Amber cried.

"Dynamic Punch!" Braedon yelled. Pangoro and Slurpuff rushed at the Dragonite, hitting them head on. They fell to the ground.

Amber, Braedon, and Argent each threw a Pokeball. The Pokeballs caught the trio in one click.

They scanned their new Pokemon with their Pokedexes.

" _Dratini, The Mirage Pokemon. Dratini continually molts and sloughs off its old skin. It does so because the life energy within its body steadily builds to reach uncontrollable levels. It resides by clean water. Female. Moves Known: Dragon Rage, Slam, Agility, Dragon Tail. Ability: Shed Skin"_

"Dragonair, The Mirage Pokemon. Dragonair stores an enormous amount of energy inside its body. It is said to alter weather conditions in its vicinity by discharging energy from its crystals on its neck and tail. Male. Moves Known: Surf, Dragon Dance, Twister, Dragon Breath. Ability: Shed Skin."

"Dragonite, The Mirage Pokémon. Dragonite is a kindhearted pokemon. It is said to make its home somewhere in the sea. It guides crews of shipwrecks to shore. Female. Moves Known: Hyper Beam, Hurricane, Wing Attack, Slam. Ability: Multiscale."

Amber looked at her friends. They were painting and soaked.

"We need to go." Amber decided.

* * *

"What happened to you three?" Ken gasped when they walked into the Pokémon Center lobby soaking wet.

"We caught Dragonite and the other Pokémon, that's what." Amber said.

"Obvi." Sapphire said, rolling her eyes. Then the nurse came and reprimanded them for dragging in mud and water, so they hurried up to their rooms to change. After changing clothes, they were ready to depart for Victory Road.

"You three sure you'll be alright without us?" Austin asked them. Austin, Rhodes, Sapphire, and Ken would be taking an alternate route to Cyperus, since they weren't allowed to help them catch Pokémon.

"We've caught 80 plus Pokémon and defeated an entire cult." Braedon snarked. "It's not like we're helpless."

Argent nodded. "Yes Austin, we're more than capable of taking care of ourselves."

Amber glared at her friends. "What they meant to say was that they appreciate your concern, but we'll be fine."

Sapphire snorted. "Yeah, _that's_ what they meant to say." Amber kicked her lightly.

"Jerk." Sapphire muttered, rubbing her leg. Well, Amber _meant_ for it to be light.

"Seriously though, you three be careful." Ken said. "No angering Churches or dangerous Pokémon unless absolutely necessary. "

"Fair enough." Braedon said. "Any other requests?"

"Pick me up a girl." Rhodes suggested.

Austin groaned. "You are a jerk, you know that?"

Rhodes clicked his tongue and made finger guns. "Yep."

They all laughed and said their goodbyes, and Austin, Rhodes, Sapphire, and Ken walked down the path.

Amber looked at Argent and Braedon. "Ready guys?"

Braedon nodded, looking at the cave entrance in front of them. "This is the last leg of our journey. Let's make it count."

Argent grabbed his boyfriend's hand. "Let's go." He muttered, and they descended into the darkness together.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So now we're on the real last leg of our journey! Remember to review and vote on Loihi's starter! The voting closes Monday!_**

 ** _Here's today's villain, Beast Stygian:_**

 ** _Title: Stygian, Master of Illusions_**  
 ** _Age: 16_**  
 ** _Height: 5'3_**  
 ** _Gender: Male_**  
 ** _Appearance: Stygian has surfer like bright blue hair and a slender. He is pale, due to not being a native Alolan, and has black eyes. He wears band t-shirts and ripped skinny jeans, and tons of bracelets on his arms._**  
 ** _Description: Stygian is consistently moody and temperamental. He is also subdued most of the time, making his many moods very low key. Stygian uses Pokémon with illusion powers._**  
 ** _Pokémon: Zoroark_**


	91. Chapter 86: Voices

To say Victory Cave was big would be laughable. Zubat Roost was big. The Frost Cavern was big. Victory Cave, the Entrance to Victory Road, was _ginormous_.

"Wow..." Braedon breathed. "This place is gigantic!" He shouted the last word, his voice echoing in the cavern.

Amber cuffed him on the shoulder. "You idiot! You're going to attract Pokemon to us!" she hissed.

"OW!" Braedon cursed. "Isn't that what we want?"

"Not all at once, you nitwit!" Amber snapped.

"It was foolish." Argent supplied.

"What is this attack Braedon day?" Braedon grumbled.

"No, that's your birthday." Amber joked, the corners of her mouth twitching.

"Funny." Braedon muttered. "why don't you-"

Suddenly, Braedon was tackled to the ground by Amber. From where he was, a purple Pokemon zoomed by.

"Thanks!" Braedon gasped. The Pokemon- Noivern- circled back towards them. Braedon pulled out a Pokeball and threw it. "Night Slash!"

Pangoro intercepted Noivern mid-strike, knocking it into the cave wall. It flew back up, then cried out so loudly it shook the cave.

Suddenly, small purple Pokemon with leathery wings descended from the ceiling, swooping down at them.

"King's Shield!" Aegislash erupted from his Pokeball, blocking the Noibat with his shield. The three Noibat bounced off, regrouping with Noivern.

"Play Rough!" Amber cried, throwing a Pokeball. Slurpuff appeared, ramming into the Noivern and Noibat, slashing, kicking, biting, and punching them while glowing with a pink aura. Noivern screamed, his ears emitting a sound wave strong enough to through Slurpuff back and Hurt Braedon's ears.

Braedon scrambled to his feet, holding his ears. He tried to call out attack, but his voice was lost in the noise.

 _This must be Boomburst._ He thought. _How can we fight without calling out attacks? Wait._

Braedon had an idea. He pulled out a Pokeball, but then stopped.

" _Statue Requiem."_

Braedon couldn't move. He could see a shadowy figure in the distance. _Joseph. He's back._

Braedon could see Argent fall to the ground. _No._

Suddenly, Slurpuff rammed into Noivern, and the noise stopped. Braedon looked around. Argent was fine. There was no Joseph. Argent was standing.

 _I just imagined it._

"Sacred Sword!" Argent yelled. Aegislash unsheathed his body, slashing at the remaining Noibat. They fainted.

Argent and Amber ran to Braedon. "Are you okay?" Amber asked him.

"You look like you saw a ghost." Argent said.

Braedon swallowed. "I feel like I did."

* * *

"Braedon, that can't have been Joseph." Amber told him as they crouched around Talonflame. Since they couldn't light a fire in a cave, the heat from Talonflame was their substitute. They had caught the Noivern and Noibat, then decided to make camp. "He's locked up."

Braedon shook his head. "I know what I saw."

"The similar situation made you see things." Argent said, putting a hand on Braedon's shoulder. "Braedon, it's okay."

Braedon shrugged. "It seemed so real..."

Amber looked at him. "Brae, when I first got back home, I kept seeing Le- _them_ everywhere. My doctor said it was just paranoia from the trauma."

"They nearly killed you." Braedon told Argent. "And they fucked you up Amber. I guess I'm not over it."

Amber smiled, and both her and Argent huddled close to him. "I promise, you will be." Amber told him. "They're never going to hurt us again."

For some reason, Braedon couldn't find it in him to believe her.

* * *

"Night Slash!" Braedon yelled. Pangoro slashed at Gengar, who disappeared into the shadows of the cave wall.

"Not so fun when it's used against you, is it?" Argent smirked.

"Are you sure you don't need help?" Amber asked.

Braedon glared at her. "Yes. This jerk is mine. Night Slash at your own shadow!"

Pangoro slashed at the ground where his shadow was cast, and Gengar flew from the shadow into the wall. Braedon threw a Pokeball. It opened in midair, a beam of red light hitting Gengar as it was sucked in. The ball shook twice, then clicked.

Braedon collected the ball, putting it in his pack. "So how many do we have?"

"We've caught Gastly, Haunter, Gengar, Amuara, and Aurorus." Argent said. "So only seven."

"Awesome." Amber said. "But where would the last seven be?"

"Well, once you evolve Golurk, that will be six." Argent said. "Gible and it's line could be anywhere. I believe Deino and it's line are in the grass. So we need to find a way out."

"A way out?" Braedon asked.

"The cave has many exits, all leading to rivers, valleys, and even cliffs." Argent explained. "All are part of Victory Road. If we follow this cave here, we'll get to Victory Valley, where I believe Deino is."

They continued their walk, stopping to pick up interesting rocks for Sableye to eat or to interact with the less hostile Pokemon.

" _Argy_!"

Argent stopped, looking around. He couldn't see anything, but he could swear he heard her.

"Argent, everything okay?" Braedon asked.

Argent nodded. It was probably his mind playing tricks on him. Or at least, that's what he told himself.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Okay** **so the winner of the Poll is...**_

 _ **A tie! Archanine and Turtonator tied! So we need a tie breaker!**_

 _ **I'm holding a new poll, which will be on my profile on both my Fanfiction and Quotev accounts, so go vote! The winner will be Loihi's starter! So go vote!**_

* * *

 _ **Title: Mamala, Master of Trickery** **  
Age: 22  
Height: 5'6  
Gender: Female  
Appearance: Mamala wears dark blue heels and a long, Wishiwashi inspired dress. Mamala is dark skinned, with black hair and green eyes.  
Description: Mamala is incredibly devious and sneaky, but seems childish and simple minded. She often pulls juvenile pranks, but her actual tricks can be deadly.  
Partner: Sharpedo**_


	92. Chapter 87: Enter The Archbishops!

"Play Rough!" Amber yelled. Klefki and Slurpuff rushed at Garchomp, who dodged the attack.

"Now, Crawdaunt!" Braedon cried. In a explosion of water, Crawdaunt erupted from the ground, knocking Garchomp into the air.

"Play Rough again!" Argent cried. Slurpuff and Klefki rushed forward, striking Garchomp in midair. He fell to the ground, exhausted and worn.

Braedon saw this as his chance. He threw a pokeball.

The pokeball opened, a red beam hitting Garchomp. He was sucked inside, and the ball shook once, twice, then clicked.

Braedon picked up the ball. "We caught Garchomp!" He cheered.

Argent nodded. "Now we just need to get out of this cave and find Victory Valley." Argent said. "That's where Hydregion is."

Amber gestured forward. "Lead the way, Argent."

Argent led them though the tunnels. The found an exit quickly, that led to a valley. Amber gasped- the valley was beautiful. Lush trees, a flowing river that led to a waterfall, Pokemon everywhere.

They spent all day looking for Pokemon. They found Deino and Zweillous, then eventually ran into Hydregion

"Klefki!"

"Slurpuff!"

"Pangoro!"

The three Pokemon appeared, awaiting their trainer's command. Hydregion didn't wait, however.

"Hy!" It screamed with all three heads. The first shot a jet of flames. The second, a gust of icy wind. The third, a bolt of thunder.

"Dodge!" Amber and her friends yelled. Pangoro rolled out of the way of the flames. Slurpuff floated above the ice. Klefki dodged the thunder.

"Low Sweep!" Braedon yelled. Pangoro swept his foot across the ground, hitting a head that was lower then the others. It reared back, then shot a jet of flames at Pangoro, knocking her back.

"Ultra Play Rough!" Amber yelled. Slurpuff began to glow and rushed at Hydregion. Argent commanded Klefki to use Fairy Wind. Klefki did, and the wind carried Slurpuff, so he shot like a bullet at Hydregion. Hydregion flew back to dodge, but the wind carried Slurpuff back to Hydregion, colliding with his back.

"Hydregion!" Hydregion roared.

"Hammer Arm!" Braedon yelled. Pangoro brought his arm down on Hydregion, knocking it's heads together.

It fainted. Argent threw a Pokeball. The Pokeball rocked twice, then clicked.

"We did it!" Braedon cheered. "We're officially done!"

Amber shook her head. "We still have to evolve Golurk."

Argent nodded. "But that will be easy. We've officially beat the Prodigy Program!"

They celebrated by gorging themselves with food and talking all night, until they eventually fell asleep.

* * *

 _"Amber, I love you." Leeland said, putting a hand on her shoulder._

 _Amber pulled away. "You're lying! Stop!"_

 _Then Braedon appeared. "Amber, I love you."_

 _Then Argent. "Amber, I love you."_

 _Then her aunt. Then her uncle. Then Jeremy. Then Sapphire. Ken. Rhodes. They all kept repeating it and touching her. Suddenly there were thousands of hands touching her and chanting-_

 _"Amber, we love you."_

 _"Amber, we love you."_

 _"Amber, we love you."_

 _"Amber, we love you."_

"Amber, we love you."

" _Amber_ -"

"Stop!" Amber screamed. Bit the dream was gone. She was sitting against a wall in Victory Cave, where they had been camping.

"Amber!" Braedon and Argent scrambled to their feet, pokeballs raised high. They looked around for dangers, but found none.

All the found was Amber, holding herself close.

Braedon looked at Argent, then scooted to Amber's left. Argent took her right.

"Amber, you said the nightmares stopped." Braedon said softly. "You should have told us."

"I'm fine." Amber muttered. "Stop babying me."

"We're not." Argent said. "We're just worried. You screamed."

"Amber," Braedon said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "We're here for you."

Amber flinched, shaking his hand off. She stood, not looking back at them.

"I appreciate it," Amber said, "but I'm fine. Thanks anyway. I just need to be alone for a few minutes."

Braedon nodded, then helped Argent up. "C'mon babe, let's go for a walk."

Argent and Braedon started walking down the path, their steps fading in the distance.

Amber was alone. Alone with her thoughts.

"Poor Amber. You don't trust anyone anymore, do you?"

Amber spun around. Standing before her was a man in black robes. He has messy brown hair, and dark skin. His eyes were blue like gemstones.

Amber took a step back, pulling out a pokeball. "Who are you?"

He grinned, showing his teeth. "My name is Arch Bishop Andreas of Rugged Mountains. Prepare to pay for what you did to my Church.

* * *

Braedon wondered vaguely if this was appropriate, but hey, they had to pass the time somehow.

Braedon pushed Argent gently against the cave wall, pressing their lips together. Argent responded eagerly, but then pushed Braedon away.

"We shouldn't be doing this." Argent said. "Amber needs us."

Braedon shook his head. "Amber made it clear that she needs us away. And while the boys are away, they might as well play..."

Argent rolled his eyes. "You're an idiot." He said, leaning in for another kiss. But he stopped when he heard laughter.

"Oh, don't stop on my account boys. I'll just watch."

Argent and Braedon faced their opponent, pokeballs drawn. In front of them was a man with silver hair and robes.

"It's me, Arch Bishop Arthur of the Silver Sword." He said. "Release your Impure Pokémon and give me your Pokedexes!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Sorry if this chapter is short. My head hurts but I also feel like writing, which results in this. Now meet Beast Haulili!_**

 ** _Title: Haulili, Master of Fear  
Age: 18  
Height: 5'7  
Gender: Male  
Appearance: Wears a pink and black hoodie and red jeans, and black and pink headphones. His eyes are red, and his skin is dark. He has spiky blonde hair.  
Description: Haulili is quiet and sullen, but he secretly enjoys the pain of others.  
Partner: ?_**


	93. Chapter 88: The Sword and Stone

Amber backed up a step. "That's impossible. The Hallowed Church disbanded." Amber said tersely, pulling a Pokeball from her belt.

"We're what's left." Andreas said calmly. On both sides of him, a Pokemon with spiky fur growled. One was red and black and on his hind legs, the other tan and on all fours. "You destroyed our Church, and you beat most of the Holy Legion. Did you honestly think we would just leave you alone?"

Amber took a step back as his Pokemon took steps forward. This wasn't good.

"Oh don't worry," Andreas said. "I won't attack a defenseless person. Call out your Pokemon."

Amber threw two Pokeballs. "Vikavolt, Golett! Wild Charge!" She cried. Both Pokemon erupted from their Pokeballs, rushing at their opponents with electrified bodies.

"Lycanroc, Stone Edge." Pillars of stone erupted from the ground, knocking Vikavolt and Slurpuff back.

"Play Rough! Megahorn! Break thrrough those pillars!" Amber cried. Slurpuff and Vikavolt slammed into the pillars, breaking them into pieces.

"Rock Slide." Andreas said, still calm. The broken pieces of the pillars shot at Amber's Pokemon, burying them.

"Is this all?" Andreas asked boredly, tilting his head. "How can you have defeated so many of The Holy Legion?"

Amber balled her fists. "Megahorn! Play Rough!" The rocks exploded, shooting in all directions as Amber's Pokemon knocked them away. "Mega Wild Charge!" Amber cried. Vikavolt shot a beam of electricity at Slurpuff, who flew forward and rammed into the tan Lycanroc. It flew back into the wall.

"Retailiate." Andreas said. The red Lycanroc became surrounded by a dark red aura as it jumped forward and headbutted Slurpuff, who flew back.

"This is tedious." Andreas said boredly. "You clearly aren't the opponent I thought you were."

"I'm more than enough for you." Amber snarled. "Vikavolt, Megahorn!"

"Vika!" Vikavolt cried as he slammed his horn into Lycanroc, who took the attack head on.

 _"Amber, you're better than this."_  
Amber looked around. That voice...

"Leeland!" Amber screamed.

* * *

Braedon grabbed a Pokeball from his belt. "Pangoro!"

"Scizor!"

Both Pokemon appeared, shielding their trainers.

"This is pointless." Arthus snickered. "Besides, cute boys like me don't fight unless we have to."

Braedon glared at him. "Stop playing games! We know what kind of person you are!"

Argent nodded. "There's no way you're a pacifist."

"Oh, I'm not." Arhtur replied with a smile. "I just prefer to watch others fight than fight myself. Lucario, you know what to do!"

Arthur threw a Pokeball. Lucario appeared in a flash of light.

"Scizor, Brick Break!"

"Pangoro, Power Up Punch!"

Both Pokemon rushed forward, but Lucario held out his hand and they stopped. Their bodies began to glow. They both turned to face the other.

"What?" Braedon cried.

Arthur smirked. "You're cute when you're scared. It's just my Lucario controlling their Aura. Most Lucario have Aura powers, but mine is trained to change the Aura of others. I can't control them, but I can influence them."

"Pan!

"Zor!"

Pangoro and Scizor rushed at each other, rapidly trading blows. The force of their fight shook the cave.

"Braedon, call out all your Pokemon!" Argent cried. He reached for a ball, but Braedon grabbed his arm. Argent snatched his arm away.

"Ooh, a smart one." Arthur said gleefully. "I like you too. But who should I pick?"

"Pick?" Argent cried.

Arthur nodded. "How about this... I'll pick the one who wins this battle!"

Argent looked at Braedon. Fight? Why would they fight?

Braedon... His enemy. He had to beat Breadon. That's the only way he could have Arthur. He wanted Arthur, and Braedon, his boyfriend, was standing in his way.

"I guess to make this fair, I need to referee." Arthur said happily. "This will be a one-on-one battle, Church rules, no substitutions or items. First move goes to the owner of the lowest Level Pokémon. Trainers, please choose your Pokemon!"

"Scizor." Argent growled. "We must defeat him. Otherwise, I'll never have Arthur."

"Pangoro, I choose you." Braedon snarled, glaring at Argent.

"And... Begin!"

* * *

 _ **A/N: Sorry I'm so late! Between Hurricane Matthew and family problems, I was busy. Then I decided to focus on my other story, and it's hard to update two stories at once. But fear not, I'll have another chapter for you by the Sunday!**_

 _ **And now, Beast Hel!**_

 _ **Title: Hel, Master of Ice**_  
 _ **Age: 14**_  
 _ **Height: 5'0**_  
 _ **Gender: Male**_  
 _ **Appearance: Hel has pale skin and blue eyes, as he is originally from Kalos. Hel is short amd frail looking, with messy and pale blond hair. He wears a black ninja halloween costume.**_  
 _ **Description: Hel is a child prodigy who loves playing with Pokémon and people. However, his definition of "playing" leaves much to be desired...**_  
 _ **Partner: Weavile**_


	94. Chapter 89: Specialty

Argent looked at his boyfriend. He was the only thing standing between Argent and his love, Arthur. He had to be eliminated.

"Bullet Punch!" Argent cried. Scizor flew forward like an arrow released from it's quiver, striking Pangoro with rapid-fire punches. Pangoro struggled to block them, several piercing his sides and one hitting his chin, knocking her back.

"Pangoro, Parting Shot." Braedon growled. Pangoro staggered forward, then roared furiously, shaking the cave. She was quickly sucked back into her Pokeball, replaced by Kecleon, who lashed out at Scizor with his tongue. Scizor was thrown back into the cave wall.

"Try harder boys." Arthur said, making a tsk-tsk sound. "You want my love, don't you?"

"Ancient Power!" Braedon yelled. Kecleon raised his arms, and rocks formed above him, before shooting at Scizor.

"Fury Cutter!" Argent cried. Scizor swiped at the rocks, cutting them to pieces as the collided with his pincers. "Razor Wind!

"Disappear!" Braedon commanded. Kecleon became invisible, even his stripe undetectable in the dark of the cave. Scizor's razor sharp wind's hit the cave wall, shaking the cave.

"You always use that trick." Argent noted. "It's getting stale."

Braedon rolled his eyes. "All part of my charm, babe."

 _Babe_...

Argent smirked. "I told you not to call me that."

"Sure, babe."

 _Babe... Why were they fighting again?_

 _"_ Braedon..." Argent said curiously. His head hurt. Why were they fighting-

"Stop flirting!" Arthur cried. "I'm the boy you want! Lucario, make them stop!"

Argent felt anger wash over him. They were fighting because Braedon was trying to take his love from him.

"Scizor, Razor Wind again!"

* * *

Amber nearly choked. "Leeland, where are you?"

 _"I'm no where Amber. I'm dead. Isn't that what you wanted?"_

"No!" Amber cried. "I just wanted- I thought you-"

 _"You can't fix this Amber!"_

Amber fell to her knees. The voice... It echoed through the cavern, coming at her from all sides.

 _"You killed me, Amber!"_

"No!" Amber screamed.

Amber heard Slurpuff cry out. She was flung against a wall by Lycanroc.

Amber looked at Andreas. He was smiling.

"It's not real!" Amber shouted. She threw a Pokeball, and Tauros appeared. "Leeland isn't here. You're doing this, aren't you?"

Andreas laughed. "Maybe you are a worthy opponent. That's right, I'm doing it. Come out, Archeops." Archeops flew to Andreas's side. "Archeops knows mimic, and can project her voice throughout the whole cave. If you recall, Bishops Cedar and Joseph could do something similar."

Amber balled her fists. "Well, we beat them a long time ago! You can't compare."

Andreas looked mildly annoyed, but he let it pass. "You miss understand me. My talent isn't the same as their's. I have mastered the talents of several of my fellow Holy Legion Members. You might remember that Cedar could control the trees in her forest. Watch this!" Andreas snapped his fingers, and Lycanroc's eyes began to glow. The whole cave shook.

Suddenly, stalactites fell around Tauros. They struck his back directly, causing him to cry out.

"Tauros, Swagger!" Amber cried. Tauros shook himself off and began to swish his tails, his eyes glowing.

"Lycanroc, Rock Slide!" Lycanroc pounced forward with his eyes closed, growling, Rocks formed around him, shooting at Tauros, who was thrown back and buried in a tomb of rocks.

"My Pokemon can fight with their eyes closed, like Scarlet's" Andreas boasted. "I may not be the strongest Bishop, but I am the most dangerous! For years I've searched for someone who could match me in battle, but you just don't cut it."

Amber felt tears stream down her cheeks. "All this was because you wanted a good battle?"

Andreas grinned maliciously. "Yes."

Amber took a step forward, her whole body shaking. "Then I'll give you one! Tauros, Strong Charge!"

Tauros roared as he grew in size, the rocks around him flying off. He became surrounded by electricity as he rushed at Lycanroc and Archeops, catching them both with his horns. They cried out as electricity rocked through their bodies.

"That was Strength and Wild Charge!" Amber declared. "Pokemon Moves are my specialty."

Andreas returned his Pokemon, throwing a Pokeball. From it a fountain of light erupted, becoming Rampardos.

"Impressive." Andreas said wistfully. "Perhaps after this battle I'll acquire your talent too. I'm a quick study, after all. Rampardos, Zen Headbutt!"

"Do the same, Tauros!"

Both Pokemon charged, glowing white with silver sparks emitting from their bodies. They collided, creating a loud crack like thunder that shook the cavern. Both Pokemon skidded back.

"Rampardos, Head Smash!" Rampardos took several steps back, then charged, his head plate glowing.

"Strong Charge!" Tauros met him head on, his body enlarging and becoming swathed in thunder. They grappled for a few seconds, but Tauros collapsed.

"Rampardos has the defense of Pierce's Pokemon!" Andreas gloated. "Head Smash gains power through high defense. Your Pokemon don't stand a chance."

"Dos!" Rampardos roared, pawing the dirt. But then his legs gave out, and he fell to the ground

"What?" Andreas cried. "How-"

"Tauros's attack can match any strength!" Amber countered.

Then Andreas surprised her. He laughed.

"You really are strong." He guffawed. "This battle is incredible!"

Amber felt a chill go down her back. Did he not care that she was winning? For some reason, that bothered her more than if he had been winning.

Andreas pulled out a Pokeball. "Rhyperior!"

"Tyrantrum!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Sorry this is so late! My only excuse is that I recently found the game Pokemon Rejuvenation, and it is consuming my time. I know, I'm trash.  
So, who's hyped for the demo tomorrow? I am. So don't expect any updates until Wednesday because (my addiction) Pokemon will be consuming me. Actually, I beat the ORAS demo pretty fast, so I might be able to do both tomorrow. Who knows?_**

 _ **Reader Question Time! Which Pokemon that Came out in the Oct. 14 Sun and Moon trailer was your favorite? Mine was definitely Ribombee.**_  
 _ **Also, I haven't been able to responding to most Fanfiction reviews because for some reason, the website didn't email me that I had any. So I'll respond to them after this chapter, sorry.**_  
 _ **And now, the final Beast, Beast Pele-**_

 ** _Title: Pele, Master of Chaos  
Age: 22  
Height: 6'2  
Gender: Female  
Appearance: Pele is tall and slender, with dark skin, eyes, and hair. She wears a red flower crown and blouse over black jeans.  
Description: Pele is mighty and fierce, possessing great power. She loves destruction.  
Partner: Houndoom_**


	95. Chapter 90: Why We Fight

"Scizor, Razor Wind!"

Scizor's wings began to move rapidly, creating sharp winds that flew at Kecleon. Kecleon flew back into the wall, dissipating into smoke. The real Kecleon appeared behind Scizor, grabbing him with his tongue and slamming him into the ground. Scizor struggled, but Kecleon threw him into the stalagmites above, and they came crashing down on top of him.

Argent returned Scizor, pulling out another pokeball. "No! I won't let you take my love from me!" He yelled. "Togedemaru, Gyro Ball!"

Togedemaru appeared, her body becoming metallic as she rolled into a spiked ball and sped toward Kecleon. Kecleon jumped to the side, disappearing.

"Togedemaru, light up the field with Electric Terrain!" Argent commanded. Togedemaru let out sparks from her cheeks, sparks that hit the ground and spread until the whole cave was electrified.

Argent could see the red stripe now. "There!" He yelled, pointing to it. "Iron Tail!"

Togedemaru brought his tail down on Kecleon, who flew back, hitting the wall and creating a crater.

"Good thinking, Argent!" Arthur praised. Argent smirked at Braedon.

"Return!" Braedon growled, returning Kecleon. "Go, Salandit! Gunk Shot!" Braedon threw a Pokeball, releasing Salandit. Salandit shot a fountain of purple acid at Togedemaru, who dodged by rolling away.

Arthur clapped. "Good job, my love! You know that Salandit's poison corrodes even Steel Types!"

Braedon smirked. "See? He called me his love. He clearly wants me!"

Argent gritted his teeth. "Togedemaru, Volt Switch!"

Togedemaru shot at Salandit like a comet, swathed in sparks and electricity, and collided with Salandit. Salandit was knocked back as a red beam shot from Togedemaru's pokeball and sucked her back in. Argent threw another Pokeball.

"Talonflame!" Talonflame screeched as she appeared.

"Incinerate!" Braedon called. Salandit shot a ball of fire from his tail.

"Razor Wind!" Argent commanded. Talonflame flapped her wings, creating razor sharp winds that cut apart the ball of fire, causing an explosion.

"Clear Smog!" Braedon cried. Salandit shot a column of milky white smoke at Talonflame, surrounding her. She flapped her wings, dispelling the smoke, but the damage was done- she was poisoned.

"Talonflame, hang in there!" Argent called. "I must win!"

"In your dreams!" Braedon cried. "Salandit, Venoshock!"

"Dodge!" Talonflame soared away as Salandit shot a bolt of violet electricity at her. But the bolt followed her, hitting her in the back and electrifying Talonflame. she fell to the ground.

Argent returned her and pulled out another Pokeball. "Klefki!"

Braedon returned Salandit. "Kecleon!"

Argent looked at Klefki and Kecleon, then at Braedon.

"This is just like our first battle." Braedon said, as if in a trance.

"Klefki vs. Kecleon." Argent muttered. He remembered how the battle started.

 _Braedon had looked at Argent. "What about you? Have any good camping stories?"_

 _Argent coughed awkwardly. "I haven't had the opportunity to go camping, actually."_

 _"Wait, for real?" Braedon asked. "How come?"_

 _"I just think it's pointless." Argent said defensively. "The whole point of houses is to protect you from the elements. They have a practical purpose. If you were in the dark and had a flashlight, you'd use it . It's the same thing with camping. You have shelter, and yet you decide to ignore it."_

 _"But we will need the shelter." Braedon argued. "We're not always gonna be near a Pokemon Center during our travels. Camping is necessary."_

 _"But not today." Argent pointed out._

 _"You just don't want to go." Braedon said smugly. "Not because you deem it useless. But because you're too prissy to rough it."_

 _Argent gritted his teeth so hard Amber could practically hear it. "You're wrong. I just don't want to."_

 _"Then prove it." Braedon said. "Battle me. You win, and we go with your plan. I win, we go camping. Sound fair?"_

 _"No." Argent said. "A battle with me would be grossly one sided."_

 _"Yeah right." Braedon snapped. "I'm taking you camping whether you like it or not. So prepare to lose!"_  
Argent smiled at the memory.

"They're losing focus!" Arthur cursed. "Lucario, control their auras!"

"No!" Argent shouted. "Klefki, Crafty Shield!"

A pink barrier went up around them, blocking Lucario's attack.

"Dammit!" Arthur swore. "Take out Klefki, Lucario! Bone Rush!"

"Kecleon, now!" Braedon yelled. Kecleon erupted from the ground underneath Lucario, knocking it into the air. It fell to the ground, unconscious.

Argent ran to Braedon's side. "Are you alright?" Argent asked him, giving him a quick kiss. Braedon nodded.

"I'm fine, though I am pissed." Braedon growled.

"Same here." Argent growled, glaring at Arthur. "I think he needs to be taught a lesson."

Arthur sighed, pulling out a pokeball and throwing it. A large navy blue Pokemon appeared, wearing a trident like crown. "You two want a battle? Fine. I didn't want to have to do this, but I'll give you one. Empoleon, Ice Beam!"

"Power Gem!" Braedon yelled

"Moonblast!" Argent called.

* * *

"Dragon Tail!" Amber cried. "Aim for the horn!"

"Block it with Horn Drill!" Andreas yelled. Rhyperior charged at Tyrantrum, blocking his Dragon Tail with his horn. Tyrantrum growled.

"Rock Wrecker!"

"Dragon Tail!"

Rhyperior held out it's hands, creating a rock almost as big as Tyrantrum and launching it at his foe. Tyrantrum tried to knock it back with his tail, but the rock hit him, knocking him into the wall. The cave shook and more stalactites fell, breaking on Rhyperior's rocky skin.

"Tyrantrum, you okay?" Amber called. He nodded, getting up as the boulder rolled off of him.

Amber smiled. "Good. Stone Edge!"

Giant pillars erupted from the ground under the boulder, launching it at Rhyperior.

"Drill Run!" Rhyperior charged, his horn spinning, breaking the boulder as it crossed the horns path.

"Head Smash! Avoid the horn!" Amber commanded urgently. Tyrantrum ducked low, ramming into Rhyperior's chest. Rhyperior caught His head, holding Tyrantrum in place. Rhyperior brought his still spinning horn to Tyrantrum's back, creating sparks. the two struggled, both taking damage.

"Give up!" Andreas said. "Why are you fighting me? You can't win!"

Amber knew he was bluffing. He had only challenged her because he knew she could. The smile on his face told her he was having a great time.

"Their are many reasons I fight." Amber called. "I fight for people who need my help. I fight for fun. I fight because I have to. But right now, I'm fighting for my friends! For my family! For all the people who believed in me, allowing me to get as far as I have! That's why I'm going to win. Because I have a reason to fight, while all you're fighting for is to enjoy yourself."

Andreas looked taken aback. "How dare you-" As if responding to his anger, the cave shook.

 _I have to end this..._ Amber thought. _The cave's about to collapse._

"Tyrantrum, Strength!" Amber yelled. Tyrantrum grew in size, pushing Rhyperior back. Rhyperior stumbled and fell. Tyrantrum grinned, before falling as well.  
Around Amber, The cave shook.

"Return!" Amber yelled., returning Tyrantrum. She looked at Andreas. "Forget this petty battle! We have to leave, or we'll get crushed-"

"Aerodactyl! Kabutops!" Andreas yelled. Both Pokemon appeared. The cave stopped shaking.

"I told you girl," Andreas said, "My Pokemon have control over this cave! But if you defeat them both, no one will be holding the cave and it will collapse, killing us and your friends! Your move, Amber Dupont. Show me why you fight!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: That demo man... It was fun af. I can't wait for Sun and Moon. Also, i changed the plot of Pokemon Heroes slightly, so be sure to reread it!_**

 ** _Side Note: I recently was rereading my chapters and realized I never fully explained why I decided to cancel the contest for Braedon's last Pokemon. Like I said, I forgot, but there's more to it than that. I forgot that Absol was winning, so I made Absol a major part of my new story. But then Absol won, and I didn't want Braedon to have one since it was getting so much focus in the new story, so I either had to change the plot of the new story or change the contest. Absol won fair and square, so I didn't want to cheat the people who voted. So I just canceled the contest._**


	96. Chapter 91: Need

Amber Thought of Argent and Braedon. They were in the tunnel too. She couldn't let it fall. But she couldn't lose to Andreas either- her friends needed her.

 _They need me._

In that moment, Amber realized how stupid she had been. Here she was feeling lonely, when her friends would always need her. If she let Andreas kill her, they would be hurt. If she let them die, she would be hurt. They needed each other, and it was that simple. Amber couldn't believe it took all of their lives being in danger for Amber to realize that.

"Golett! Slurpuff! Vivillon!"

Golett, Slurpuff, and Vivillon appeared.

"So you choose to fight." Andreas mused. "An unwise choice."

"Golett, I know it's asking a lot, but hold up the cave with your powers." Amber told them. "Vivillon, Giga Drain! Slurpuff, Play Rough!"

Green energy shot from Kabutops to Vivillon. Meanwhile, Slurpuff rushed forward and began to rough house with Aerodactyl.

Around them, the cave shook. Golett spread out their hands, eyes glowing, holding the cave in place.

"Aerodactyl, Stone Edge! Kabutops, Rock Throw!" Jagged stone pillars erupted from the ground, knocking Slurpuff back. Kabutops began to hurl boulders at Vivillon, who dodged them with a twirl.

The cave shook again. Amber felt her heart rise into her throat.

"Golett, keep trying! I believe in you!" Amber cried.

"Gol!" Golett affirmed.

Andreas laughed. "You believe in him?" He chuckled again. "That's not true power my dear. Believing in something only goes so far. That's why the rest of my Church hasn't made it as far as me- they blindly believe in Alleos. But I fight for him! I seek out power for him! I train for him!"

"That's an idiotic reason." Amber snapped. "I told you already, I fight for my friends, and they fight for me. I can't let you win... because my friends are in this cave too! Swirlix, Wild Charge on Kabutops! Vivillon, Psychic on Aerodactyl!"

Swirlix rammed into Kabutops, his body electrified, meeting Kabutops' blades. Meanwhile, Vivillon grabbed hold of Aerodactylwith her Psychic powers, but Aerodactyl managed to break free and hurl boulders at Vivillon, burying her.

"Vivillon!" Amber cried.

"Slur!" Slurpuff was knocked back into the rocks by a Metal Claw.

"It's over, Amber." Andreas gloated. "You're out of Pokémon. Golett can't possibly fight and hold up the cave. Finish her, Kabutops!"

Amber screamed-

"Golett!"

Suddenly, lava erupted from the earth, knocking Andreas's Pokémon back.

"Gol!" Amber looked at Golett, her heart stopping as he began to glow. Their body became larger and bulkier, until their head was against the roof of the cave.

"Golurk!" Golurk roared. They looked at Amber.

"Golurk... you evolved to protect me?" Amber gasped. "Thank you! But can you fight and hold together the cave?"

As if to answer her, Golurk put a large hand against the wall. The whole cave shook, almost knocking Amber off her feet. Golurk gave her a thumbs-up. Amber knew that meant _yes_.

"Golurk, Phantom Force!" Amber yelled. Golurk's whole body turned black before they disappeared. Kabutops and Aerodactyl looked around, wondering where they went. Golurk appeared behind Aerodactyl, knocking him out of the sky with a punch. Kabutops jumped and sliced at Golurk, but they caught the blade and flung him away.

"Kabutops, Aerodactyl, Hydropump and Power Gem!"

"Phantom Force!" Amber countered. Golurk disappeared, and the two attacks hit each other instead of Golurk. The resulting explosion knocked them back.

"Now, Heavy Slam!" Amber yelled. Golurk appeared above Aerodactyl, falling shoulder first into him.

"Aerodactyl!" Andreas shouted. "You little bitch- Kabutops, Night Slash!"

Kabutops rushed forward, his blades glowing with a black aura, and sliced at Golurk, who caught the blade. Kabutops looked terrified.

"Slam him into the ground!" Amber yelled. Golurk slammed him down, knocking him out.  
Andreas looked at his fallen Pokemon.

"You won." Andreas muttered. Then he burst into laughter.

"You won..." He chortled. "I wanted someone who could best me, and I found it! Her!"

Amber couldn't stop staring as Andreas fell to the ground, unconscious but still smiling.

* * *

"You sure you're okay?" Ken asked Amber and her friends. They were outside the police compound in Cyperus City, after their battle with Andreas and Arthur.

Amber nodded. "I'm fine- it's not like Team Hallow is back or anything. They were just stragglers from the church. Powerful stranglers, but still."

Braedon snorted. "Not too powerful. We beat Arthur easily."

Argent nodded pensively. "Arthur was too reliant on his Lucario. Defeating him after was easy. I also think, from what Amber told me about Andreas, that he's the weakest Archbishop."

"Either way," Rhodes said, "you guys shouldn't have had to deal with those asswipes. You beat the Church. Can't they just accept defeat?"

Austin shrugged. "Insanity never sleeps, as they say. But now that's over. We have to celebrate. You three are done with the Program, and tomorrow is the Cyperus Festival. You three are finally getting the accolades you deserve."

Amber didn't feel like she needed accolades, but it would be nice. Despite all of it, she felt a pit in her stomach. She had something she had to do, and it was honestly scarier than any Archbishop she has faced.

After all of them headed to the Pokemon Center, Amber, Braedon and Argent settled into their room.  
"Guys?" Amber said, just loud enough for the boys to hear. They turned to her, Braedon with hos pajamas on and Argent playing an MMORPG on his laptop.

She considered chickening out, but no. She had to do this.

"Guys, I'm sorry." She told her friends.

Braedon raised an eyebrow. "Amber, what for?"

"I've been hiding something." She said. "When the three of us reunited, I thought it would be just like before. But lately, you two seem to be more interested in each other than all three of us. And that's okay. I realized while I was fighting Andreas- he threatened to collapse the tunnel, and I immediately thought of you two. If any of us had died, and my last memory with you two was me snapping at you- I couldn't bear that. We're a team, and I was just so caught up in the idea that you two didn't need me anymore-"

Braedon and Argent both had moved to her side, hugging her. Amber hadn't realized she had been crying.

"Amber, we'll always need you." Braedon murmured.

"And more importantly," Argent said, "we _want_ you. You're our best friend. Us being in a relationship doesn't change that."

Amber nodded, wiping her eyes. "I- I can't lose you both. I lost my parents and Leeland. But you two? I couldn't handle it."

Argent grabbed her hand. Braedon clasped the other.

"Amber, we're here to stay." Argent said.

"Believe it." Braedon added.

And Amber did.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Reader Question Time! Who is your favorite Prodigy?_**

 ** _And sorry if this chapter is short. I don't want to lie to you guys. I haven't felt very inspired to write lately, and if I force myself to write the quality goes way down. So I had to choose between a short chapter, or a long one that was honestly pretty boring. I really am sorry. I've just been really drained of inspiration lately. I promise that the last chapters will be long though._**

 ** _Bonus Question: Who here plays Pokemon Rejuvenation? I finished it weeks ago and I honestly miss it. The plot was overdone but the characters are so lovable and the game play is honestly so fun._**


	97. Chapter 92: Cyperus Festival

Amber woke up to Braedon's mad grin. Granted, it wasn't the first time, nor did she expect it to be the last, but it was still annoying.  
"Brae, what are you planning?" Amber said suspiciously.  
Braedon's grin widened. "Look outside."  
Amber moved to the window, where Argent was waiting with a horrified expression. When Amber looked outside, she could see why.  
Out their window was a crowd of people, all holding signs and cheering. The second they saw Amber, they went nuts.  
"We have a fan club." Amber said, horrified.  
"How revolting." Argent gasped.  
Braedon sighed. "You both know you want to meet them. Don't lie."  
"You're delusional." Argent said.  
"More like mad." Amber said, closing the blinds. "We have to face _that_?"  
"Says the girl who wrestles Snorlax."  
"It was a Munchlax, and it was one time, you dolt."  
Braedon smirked, and Amber felt lighter than she had in awhile.  
After getting dressed (Amber forbid Braedon and Argent to get dressed together. They didn't have all day for those two to fool around.), they headed down stairs and met their friends. Sapphire looked pained when they told her about their welcoming committee.  
"I'm going to kill all three of you." Sapphire moaned. "I _do not_ want to face that."  
Ken elbowed her. "Don't be melodramatic, Sapph." He said cheerfully. "This will be fun! To think I almost married and am now great friends with a celebrity!"  
Argent rolled his eyes. "Celebrity is stretching it." He said. "And could you not mention marrying my boyfriend?" Argent sounded annoyed, but his slight smile let them know he was teasing.  
They all laughed. "Regardless," Austin said, "you three deserve it. You're real heroes."  
Rhodes laughed. "These three, heroes? Who'd have thought?"  
Austin pinched him. "Don't be jealous, little bro."  
"I'm older than you!"  
"And shorter."  
"Kiss my round ass, Austin."  
"It's actually kind of flat." Ken observed.  
"Ohhhhhhhhh." Sapphire cheered.  
Rhodes flicked both of them off. "I get no love from you people."  
Amber giggled. She loved this. Just talking and having fun with her friends. Making fun of each other, teasing, false anger. She had been so wrapped up in her own problems, she hadn't appreciated this as much as she should have.  
They left the Pokemon Center through the back to get away from the mob, only to get swamped a few blocks later. Amber didn't actually mind. She surprised herself by having fun meeting all of them. She took selfies with them, signed their arms and other random extremities, kissed a few on the cheek. One little kid even brought them flowers ("they're purple like Braedon's hair. He's my favorite." Braedon nearly cried.)  
But eventually the fans trickled down to the occasional fanatic here and there, and they arrived at the Cyperus Festival only twenty minutes late.  
The festival was in full swing. Vendors sold every food imaginable, and Sapphire and Amber nearly squealed when they saw candy apples. Amber met Callie, the girl who gave her Slurpuff so long ago, at one booth. She was ecstatic to see that Swirlix had evolved and was way stronger. Austin (the other one, who ran their fan blog) wanted an interview with them, which Braedon graciously granted him. Austin (Rhodes and Argent's brother), got into a long chat with a female face painter who went above and beyond crafting masterpieces on her chosen canvas. They all teased him when he got her number. Amber and Braedon even met up with some of their friends from school, because their whole class was invited to the event in honor of them passing the Prodigy Program. After Braedon and Amber successfully showed off Argent and their now full teams to them, they made their way to play games. Sapphire was surprisingly good at ring toss, resulting in all of them wasting Arceus knows how much money trying to beat her. Braedon won Argent a stuffed Cubchoo at the basketball game, and Argent protested but clung onto it like it was precious jewels. Rhodes met up with a bounty hunter friend, and they compared catches.  
By sundown, they were all exhausted and ready to take on the world.

Back at the Pokemon Center, they sat in Amber's room and discussed what they would be doing the next day. Amber, Braedon, and Argent would be getting certificates of honor, and Amber's parents were showing up. Braedon's dad was trying his best to come too, but it was only if he could get off work. If not, they would see him at his Villa after the festival (they were all welcome to stay there as long as they liked, something Sapphire and Amber were excited about).  
They decided to have a sleepover in Sapphire's dorm, because screw the rules. They watched cheesy horror movies until each of them fell asleep.  
Amber's last though was how happy she was.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I'm back! Please don't kill me! I have no good excuse except that I wasn't inspired to write this story, and I hate forcing myself to write. But I feel very inspired about Pokemon lately, so I'm gonna finish this story! And I'm going to start my other Pokemon story! At the same time! So be prepared, we have a lot to do. And I plan to update again before the week ends, so yay!  
(Also, the Starter contest tied, and I'm not waiting any longer, so I'm making Turtonator Loihi's starter but she also has an Archanine.)**_

 _ **(And FF . net users, something happens when I export it to this site where it removes lines, so sorry. I'll edit it later.**_


	98. Chapter 93: Parents

Argent's first thought when he woke up in the morning, on the floor asleep with Braedon curled up at his side and Ken's foot in his face, was one word: _Fuck_.

How vulgar.

Strangely, Argent wasn't sure why that was his first thought. He got the others up and they rushed to get ready (they were, to Argent's horror, going to be late). Somewhere between brushing his teeth and trying to pick a tie to wear, he realized why. Or more accurately, Amber told him why.

"Hurry up guys!" She cried. "We have to meet Braedon's dad in fifteen minutes!"

Argent nearly fainted. He was meeting his boyfriend's parents.

No no no no no no no-

"Argent, what are you doing standing there?" Braedon asked. "We have to go-"

Argent dropped his tie and grabbed Braedon by the shoulders. "NONE OF THESE TIES LOOK GOOD!"

Braedon stopped. "Wha-"

"BRAEDON I NEED A GOOD TIE OR HE'LL THINK I'M SOME KIND OF STREET RAT OR HOODLUM-"

Braedon laughed. "Dude. You're dating a hoodlum. His son is a hoodlum. You could show up naked and tattooed and still exceed his expectations."

Argent punched him on the shoulder. "Not funny! He knows that I'm the disowned ex-heir to the Lancaster fortune, he probably thinks low of me already-"  
Braedon covered Argent's mouth. "Argent, you need to calm down. Calm. Breathe. Can you do that?"

Argent nodded.

"Good. That's good." Braedon said. "He's going to love you, you know. And if he doesn't, he's going to be swallowing his own teeth. But he will."

Argent frowned. "You and your father have an interesting relationship."

"That's a polite way of saying it." Braedon muttered. "Now c'mon. Everyone's waiting. Unless you want to hurry up and get naked so I can draw some tattoos on you."

"Ha ha."

"I'm only half kidding."

"Braedon, I swear-"

By the time they got down to the lobby, Amber had to break up their argument. They took two cabs to Braedon's villa, which was a twenty minute drive.

Sapphire squealed when they arrived, and Amber gasped. Even Argent had to admit that his villa was impressive. two stories with a pool top roof and a pool in the yard, it was definitely nice.

A maid who Braedon referred to as Jenna ushered them inside. The great room was elegant, with a chandelier handing from the ceiling, paintings that probably weren't that expensive (everyone knows that the really expensive paintings were never put on the walls) hung on the walls.

"You must be Braedon's friends."

Argent nearly fainted. But he forced himself to look up at Michael Lovette.

Braedon's father was tall, easily towering over the teenagers in his presence. He had the same purple hair as Braedon, only combed back. His skin was a shade darker than Braedon, and his eyes were brown instead of blue. But otherwise, he could have been Braedon aged up thirty years.

"Hi dad!" Braedon said cheerfully. He ran to his father, embracing him.

And just like that, the tension broke. Mr. Lovette's stern expression seemed to melt as he hugged Braedon. "Braedon." He said simply and with revere, as if it were a poem.

Argent said his name the same way.

Braedon broke the embrace, before gesturing to his friends. "This is Amber, Sapphire, Ken, Austin, Rhodes, and lastly, Argent."

Mr. Lovette looked at Argent. Argent wanted took look away, but he held his gaze. He had faced death several times. Michael Lovette wasn't going to scare him. "So you're his acquaintances. Of course Braedon would have such colorful friends."

"It's really typical of him to take in strays, huh?" Sapphire remarked. Rhodes and Austin giggled, while Amber elbowed her.

Mr. Lovette laughed, breaking away from Argent. "Don't be so hard on yourselves. You all are very talented, from what I hear from Braedon."  
"Come on you kids," Mr. Lovette said, "Let's go to the back patio. I'll show you the rest of the house later. It is much more important that we get acquainted first."

He led them through the villa to his backyard, which had, surprise, a pool. The each took a chair and sat in it.

"So tell me about yourselves." Mr. Lovette said. "I have an hour before I return to work, so I say we hurry. Austin, I saw you admiring my artwork. From what Braedon told me, you are an artist yourself?"

Austin nodded eagerly. "Yeah! I don't recognize any of the artists in your gallery though."

"They're all local." Mr. Lovette said. "I keep the expensive art locked up in case of a break in. This art is just what I've seen in local galleries that I like."

"That's really nice of you." Austin said. "Featuring smaller artists, I mean."

"Maybe I could show something of yours." Mr. Lovette said. "I looked up your art beforehand. You have an eye for detail, but your paintings aren't detailed. I like them."

Austin beamed. "Thank you sir!"

"And Rhodes," Mr. Lovette said, "You are a bounty hunter, no?"

 _Shit._ Argent thought. _Here it comes._  
Rhodes nodded.  
"Hmm. Why didn't you just go into law enforcement?" Mr. Lovette asked.  
"I knew it wasn't for me." Rhodes answered. "I mean, I like helping people. I like stopping bad guys. But I knew that if I became a police officer or detective, I would fail. So I found a way to do what I love, in a way that suits me."

To Argent's surprise, Mr. Lovette smiled. "Good answer. Sapphire, what about you?"

Sapphire frowned. "I'm not sure yet. I'm currently trying out several things to see where my talents really lie."

Argent considered hugging them all. They were eloquently destroying these questions. Were these the same people who started a toothpaste war this morning?

"Very nice." He said. "I remember when I was your age, I had no idea what to do with my life. And here I am now. You keep searching, Sapphire. And now Ken Ao, who I'm already acquainted with."

Ken smiled. "I'm taking over Ao Aerodynamics, remember?"

"I know, but I wanted to include you. It would be rude not to." Mr. Lovette said. "Amber?"

"I'm going to take over my parents ranch." She said. "Pokemon raising is my dream. But before that, I'm going to college with Argent and Braedon. I'm the first in my family to get a degree."

Mr. Lovette looked delighted. "How impressive. I expect nothing less of the girl who's kept my boy in line for the past few years."

Amber snorted. "Barely." She said, earning a smirk from Braedon.

"And lastly, Argent." Mr. Lovette said. "What about you?"

Argent looked into his eyes. He was so... Accepting? Argent's father had never accepted anything about his sons that didn't fit his own plans for them.

 _Mom was always the accepting one._

Argent felt like vomiting. "I-I have to go." He said, jumping out of his chair and walking into the house.

"Argent!"

Argent made it halfway through the house before Amber and Braedon caught up with him, as he knew they would.

"Argent, what's wrong?" Braedon asked him. "You can't still be nervous-"

Argent shook his head. "I- he's so nice."Argent said. "I'm not used to nice parents. Amber's parents were okay, but they were strict and judgmental. But your father... I just can't help compare him to my mother and father. I... I miss them."

Amber bit her lip. "Argent... It'll be okay. We told you. We're your family."

Argent nodded, tearing up. "I know. And I'm so thankful to have you guys. But that doesn't mean it doesn't sting when I remember the family I've lost."

Braedon hugged him, followed by Amber. "I know buddy. Don't worry. We're here for you."

Argent buried his face into Braedon's neck. "Thank you." He muttered.

"I'm sorry."

They broke apart, looking up. Micheal Lovette was standing at the end of the hall.

"I'm sorry, " He repeated, "I don't mean to intrude."

Argent shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I was unbelievably rude, and-"

Micheal cut him off. "Don't apologize. What you did made perfect sense. Did Braedon ever tell you what happened to his mother?"

Argent shook his head.

"She died." Micheal said. "It still hurts. But one day, you'll get to the point when your happy memories of them overpowers your sad ones. You'll realize that they would want you to be happy, and that it's okay to be sad and okay to be happy. So cry as long as you want. Once you're done, come outside and be happy with us if you want." And with that, Mr. Lovette left the building.


	99. Chapter 94: Gale

After leaving the Villa, Amber and her friends went to meet up with Amber's parents. They were supposed to meet at the airport, but Jeremy texted them to meet at a restaurant close by instead.

At the restaurant, Uncle Jim and Aunt Lynn surprised Amber with a 3 tier cake. They celebrated together, then Amber, Braedon and Argent had to leave to get to the award ceremony. They needed to be early to assist in the set up.

Braedon was practically buzzing in the back seat of their taxi. "I can't believe this is happening! We really did it you guys!"

Amber hugged him. "We did! This is so amazing."

Argent nodded, squeezing Braedon's hand. "Agreed. It truly is unbelievable."

The second they stepped out of the taxi, they were swarmed by people congratulating them. After breaking away, the three of them made it to the stage. The stage was in front of the entrance to the Kalos Hall of Fame, and was painted gold.

The award ceremony was quick, with Mr. Bonding awarding them with gold medals and everyone cheering.

"Now," Mr. Bonding said, "For the final leg of their journey, the three of them will register their team in the Kalos Hall of Fame!"

Amber wiped a tear from her eye. She saw her family and friends in the VIP area, cheering and waving.

Amber shared a look with Argent, then Braedon. They were both beaming.

They walked off the stage from the back and towards the hall of fame. The building was grand, and had one of the biggest battlefields Amber had ever seen.

"This is it." Argent muttered.

They stepped into the hall of fame together.

Behind them, the door slammed shut.

Amber looked at Braedon. "Was it supposed to do that?" she asked.

"Hello children."

On the other side of the field sat a woman with cropped blond hair. She wore a silver dress with cloth under the arms that resembled wings.

"I am Head Priest Gale of The Stormy Skies." she said, her voice being projected on the loud speakers. Suddenly, the video screens around the room turned on, showing the whole battlefield from different angles. One showed a close up of her face, and her dull gray eyes that were almost white. "Welcome to the Revelation."

* * *

"Welcome to the Revelation."

Sapphire looked up from her Holo at Ken and the others. "Guys. I can't turn my Holo off!"

Austin grunted in frustration. "I think everyone's having that problem. Someone has hacked the Holo network. Every Holo here seems to be getting the same broadcast."

Sapphire stomped her foot. "Come on guys! We need to get in there!"

Ken grabbed her hand. "Sapphire, don't be rash-"

"We have to get to them!" Uncle Jim said urgently.

Mr. Lovette nodded. "Our children need us."

" _Right now, I have an army of Repented surrounding the police station."_ Gale said on their Holocasters. " _There will be no one to help you children this time_."

"Now we know where to go." Rhodes said.

Luckily the VIP section was away from the crowd, so they could get away easily.

The police station was surrounded by large Pokémon, each by the side of a trainer. The fought against the officers, who didn't seem to be making headway.

"We have to help!" Austin said.

Suddenly, vines wrapped around Austin, Jeremy, Mr. Lovette, and Amber's parents.

"Can't have any non trainers interfering with our fun." Cedar giggled. By her side was Scarlett, Rios, Mulan, and Pierce.

"You-" Sapphire growled.

Scarlett grinned. "You remember me, don't you Sapphire Anderson?"

"We've been tasked with guarding this building." Rios said.

"We're not letting you interfere either." Mulan said. "We were just bored, so we let you all be free to battle."

"Let them go!" Ken shouted.

Pierce grinned. "Not likely. Prepare to face the Holy Legion!"


	100. Chapter 95: For a Reason

Gale Saito had never really been one to pay attention in church. Her sister Olivia was the more studious of the two. But Gale wanted to be a good girl. And her father wanted her to be a good girl. So everyday after church, her father, Aziko, would explain the sermon to her.

"The Revelation," he said, holding Gale close as she rested in his lap. They were sitting on her bed. Olivia was in the next room, studying for an her AP Calculus exam. Her mother, Julie, needed her rest. "Is a time of great celebration. You see, it's when everyone who you've lost comes back."

"Even you?" Gale asked with a whimper. "Even mommy?"

His face hardened, but he nodded. "Yes, Gale. Even Mommy."

Gale looked at him. Even at her young age, she could tell her mother's sickness had aged him. "But why?"

"Because everything happens for a reason.

* * *

 __Amber __Dupont __had faced many challenges along her journey. Wild Pokémon, poachers, evil cultists, family members, rough terrains, long tournaments, and worse. But now that her journey was done, she should have anticipated one last fight.

"Why are you doing this?" Amber demanded. "What are you even doing here? There's nothing to gain from crashing the ceremony!"

Gale smiled. Amber almost took a step back. "You really don't understand my church, do you?" she said. "Why we've been attacking you three repeatedly? Why I want the Pokedexes that badly?"

"Then why?" Braedon demanded. "Tell us. In fact, tell the world! Those cameras are broadcasting nationally."

"Braedon, don't." Argent said. "You won't get a logical answer. She and her whole church have been contradicting themselves since day one."

Gale was calm. Happy even. "Do you three know what my Church calls The Revelation?"

Amber looked at Breadon, then Argent. They weren't going to like this answer.

"Then allow me to give you a history lesson." Gale said. "The concept of Pokemon battling started in several places all over the world, at different times. It was a group of Arolites who brought it to Kalos from Hoenn."

Braedon shifted. "It's one of the reasons people blame Arolites for the Kalos-Unovan War."

"Correct," She said. "But do you know which Arolite brought battles?"

"The Prophet Novas," Argent said. "He was on a pilgrimage Hoenn to escape religious persecution."

Amber remembered learning about this. "But didn't he also kill someone?"

"No belief is perfect," Gale said. "Even if his faith differed from mine, I do respect his devotion."

Amber considered that. Gale blew off killing like it was petty vandalism. Then again, maybe that's what those standing in front of her church were to her. Objects to be broken.

"But regardless, he was still a diseased soul," Gale said. "And diseases tend to spread. His followers got worse after he died, until the peaceful treaty The Hallow Church had with them meant nothing. They attacked us, so we had to learn how to defend ourselves. A few Arolites who didn't agree with the attacks taught us how to battle. Then, The Hallowed Church went to battle them. Our High Priest fought their three Hoplites -the Arolite equivalent to a Pokemon Champion- and defeated them in battle. Then, using the battle techniques taught to us by the Arolites, we spread our faith across Kalos until it became the dominant religion."

Amber was starting to see where this was going. She didn't like it one bit. "So we're your Hoplites - you defeat us in battle to prove that the Church is greater, then you take our Pokedexes and use them to destroy more Pokemon. Just like how the The Church defeated the Hoplites then used their battle techniques to spread Hallowism."

Gale laughed. "You three are very intelligent. Yes, you are our version of the Hoplites."

"But why not go after the Pokemon Champion?" Argent wondered.

"Argent, we are like Champions." Braedon said. "We're getting inducted to the hall of fame and everything. Plus, the Hoplites got their status from _catching_ Pokemon, not _battling_ each other."

"It really is perfect!" Gale said maliciously. "My stupid underlings and I have waited years for a champion like you three. Then you three come along, and we think nothing of you. Just a group of upstarts with powerful technology. Then you beat all my Bishops. Then the Fulgurite Triad. Then even the Arch Bishops. The second I realized that you three were becoming Psuedo Champions, I decided to act."

"But this is all just a bunch of coincidences!" Amber cried. "You're willing to risk your entire church for that?"

"Yes." She said, pulling a Pokeball from her staff. "Because it's more than a simple coincidence. Everything happens for a reason."

* * *

 ** _A/N: hello_**

 ** _It's me._**

 ** _I guess I'm back? And making two year old jokes? Didja miss me?_**

 ** _Idk if I'm gonna keep updating this, but I want to. This story honestly has a special place in my heart, one that drives me to reread it when I'm feeling nostalgic. One that caused me to make it longer than any story I've ever written. So I really want to finish it. But sometimes I feel like I can't._**

 ** _So onward! To the final arc!_**


	101. Chapter 96: For Amber!

"You'll have to do better than that, little girl." Scarlet said boredly. "I've gotten stronger since we last battled."

Sapphire spared a look at her friends. All of them were caught in their own battles with a member of the church. None of them could help her.

Sapphire steeled her nerve.

"So have I!" Sapphire cried. "Drummer, Mega Punch!"

"Fire Punch!"

Drummer the Snorlax jumped forward with surprising agility and met Emboar's fist with hers. The resulting shockwave caused the ground to crack and shake, nearly knocking Sapphire off balance.

Emboar tried to punch Drummer with it's other fist, but Drummer caught it with her paw. Suddenly, the fire spread from Emboar's fists, engulfing Snorlax.

"It appears your Snorlax doesn't have Thick Fat," Scarlet said. "Looks like it has no resistance to fire."

Sapphire ground her teeth. She couldn't lose. Not against someone who hurt Cray. Not against a someone threatening her friends.

"Last Resort!" Sapphire yelled.

The fire around Drummer became golden. It surrounded both Pokémon, and Drummer spun Emboar around, flinging him away. He flew through the air like a comet and crashed into the ground.

"Snor..." The golden fire around Drummer disintegrated, and she fell to the ground.

Scarlet looked vaguely impressed. "Last Resort. A difficult move to master. Perhaps you are worth my time?" She pulled a Pokeball out of her purse and threw it lackadaisically into the air. A deep red Marowak jumped from the ball.

Sapphire balled her fists. "I'm more than that! I'm the girl who will avenge my Pokémon! Bounce!" Sapphire threw a Pokeball, and a blue Pokémon with a three cotton puffs, almost as large as the body itself, extending off it erupted from its ball. Dandy the Jumpluff launched into the air, then came crashing down onMarowak, it's body surrounded by silver sparks.

"Shadow Bone." Scarlet said. Marowak's bone became surrounded by a violet aura. The aura extended, shooting at Dandy like a whip and wrapping around him. "Hex."

Marowak's eyes began to glow. The aura grew brighter, surrounding Dandy. It cried out in pain.

"Jumpluff! How-"

Scarlet grinned, and Sapphire's questions died in her throat. "Shadow Bone allows Marowak to imbue spiritual energy into his bone." She said. "My Marowak can extend that energy outside of it's container and create a whip. I got the idea from your friend, Amber, and her modified Pokemon moves. Originally this was meant to be for her, but Head Priest Gale wanted to destroy her personally. I suppose you'll make a fine substitute. Finish him, Marowak!"

"Jump!" Dandy cried out as the tendrils wrapped around him became tighter. Marowak slammed his bone down, and Dandy with it, crashing into the ground.

Sapphire returned Dandy with a click of a button, then pulled out another ball. "Greta, Brave Bird!"

Greta the Swellow flew out of her ball in a flash of light and sparks and rushed at Marowak. It became surrounded in flames, which turned blue and grew in intensity with each second

"Shadow Bone." Scarlet said. Marowak tried to hit Greta with his whips, but Greta effortlessly maneuvered between them, then crashed into Marowak. It was flung across the field.

Sapphire threw another Pokeball. From it erupted a Volcorona.

Something dawned on Sapphire. "But... that's an impure type. So is Marowak. You're going against your church's doctrine?"

Scarlet smiled. "Sapphire, I once told your friend Amber Dupont that I believed in my Church's doctrine, and that motivated me to attack your Dragonair. In reality, I don't care anything about this Church. Not anymore. I was defeated by a mere girl, one using an Impure Pokemon. So I realized that the church is holding me back."

Sapphire shook her head to clear it. "Then why are you fighting?"

"My true objective is to become stronger." Scarlet said. "That has always been my goal. I thought the light of Alleos could make me strong, but he failed me. So as soon as this battle is over, I shall leave the church. But first... I have to humiliate Amber the way she did me, by destroying her rival! Fiery Dance!"

Volcorona spun around, creating flames with each flap of it's wings. The fire flew at Swellow, who ducked and swooped to avoid the flames. But they soon became too numerous, surrounding her in fire. She cried out as she fell to the ground.

"Return!" Sapphire shouted, returning her to her Pokeball. "Donna, Sparkling Aria!"

A Primarina appeared, then started singing a high note. Water formed around Volcarona, then exploded. Volcarona fell to the ground, then struggled to rise again.

"Hydro Pump!" Sapphire yelled.

"Flare Blitz!" Scarlet commanded.

Volcorona became surrounded by a blazing inferno right as a jet of water hit her. The water evaporated into steam that quickly surrounded them.

Sapphire looked around. She couldn't see-

"Prima!" the steam started to clear. Donna was lying motionless on the ground.

"My Pokémon don't need their senses to fight." Scarlet said. Her eyes gleamed. "Didn't Amber tell you?"

"If your so obsessed with Amber, why fight me?" Sapphire asked.

"Because Gale is going after her," Scarlet said with a smile. "That bitch is as good as dead."

Sapphire returned her Pokémon, angry tears clouding her vision. _Amber_. "You-" she snarled.

"What, are you mad because you and Amber are dying separately?" Scarlet taunted. She pulled out another ball. "I told you, I'm going to get my revenge. And I'm getting tired of these games."

Sapphire reached for two pokeballs and threw them right as Scarlet did. Torkoal, Blazikin, Snowflake, and Cray appeared on the road. "Snowflake! Cray! Blizzard!"

But Blazikin was faster. In a flash, he grabbed Snowflake and Cray and landed a blazing kick on both of them, knocking them across the pavement.

"Blizzard? On fire types?" Scarlet shook her head. "Your anger is clouding your judgment."

"Torkoal, Volcarona, kill her." Scarlet commanded. Torkoal shot smoke from it's shell and nostrils. The smoke surrounded Sapphire.

Sapphire looked around, but the smoke was so intense she couldn't keep her eyes open. She tried to call out to her Pokémon, but all that came out was a scream of frustration.

"It's no use," Scarlet's voice surrounded Sapphire. Sje ace. was coming from all directions. "This smoke is arletmixed with various powders from Volcarona's wings. This particular combination causes stress and anxiety, until the victim dies. Goodbye, Sapphire Anderson."

Sapphire couldn't breathe. She was going to die, wasn't she?

Sapphire fell to the ground, covering her mouth as warm tears fell down her

"Say hi to Amber for me."

 _Amber_. Sapphire thought hazily.

 _Sapphire was sitting on her bed, her friends in heaps around her. Austin's foot was in Ken's face. Braedon was cuddling Argent. Rhodes was sprawled out as possible in the confined space.s_

 _And Amber. She was sitting at the foot of the bed, appsharing her private stash of candy with Sapphire._

 _Amber was just rambling on about her favorite Pokémon to take care of at the ranch and which Pokémon were so friendly and her eyes were bright and beautiful and Sapphire was on a sugar high and tired and it was 4am and -_

 _Sapphire pulled Amber into a hug._

 _"Sapph-"_

 _"I'm so glad I met you," Sapphire said in the barest whisper. "Tonight was my first sleep over, and it's all because of you."_

 _Sapphire had so much more she wanted to say. That Amber and the others were her first real friends. That because of how standoffish Sapphire was, no one had ever wanted to be her friend besides het Pokémon. That she appreciated them for taking that extra effort. That no matter how much they annoyed her, they made her smile more._

 _That she loved them._

 _But instead, it came out as "Thank you."_

Sapphire's thoughts became clear. Amber. _My friends. I've got to protect them._

Sapphire found her voice. "Hurricane!" she yelled.

Then she collapsed.

* * *

"Sapphire!" Rhodes yelled. Surrounding her and Scarlet was a vortex water and debris.

"Marow!"

Rhodes looked back at his Pokémon. To his horror, Marowak and Crobat had been defeated.

"Had enough?" Pierce said. Cedar grinned beside her sibling at Ken. Mulan and Rios weren't even fighting.

"You thought you could defeat four members of the s just around the cornerchurch?" Mulan boasted. "You can't even handle two."

Rhodes wasn't sure what to do. Sapphire was unconscious and in danger. They were out numbered. Cedar's Tropius and Pierce's Crynogal were staring them down eagerly, as if they knew victory was just around the corner.

Then the ground beneath Tropius and Crynogal exploded.

"Then let's make this fair."

Rhodes spun around. A red flying Pokémon landed in front him, holding Sapphire in its talons. Behind him was a pale woman with curly brown hair and violet eyes. Next to her, a boy with beige skin and frizzy hair.

Olivia and Leeland had arrived.

* * *

 _ **A/N: OHHHHHHH. Betcha didn't see that comin'.**_


End file.
